On Saturday, Russian forces launched deadly strikes on a hospital in Sumy, a Ukrainian city close to the Russian border. The attacks killed 10 people, including medical staff, prompting Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky to strongly condemn Moscow’s actions. Here’s a breakdown of the tragic event.
1. Russian Strikes Hit Hospital in Sumy
The attack targeted the St. Panteleimon Clinical Hospital, located near the city center of Sumy, killing 10 people, including a nurse. The first strike damaged several floors of the hospital, and the second hit during the evacuation of patients.
2. Zelensky Condemns Russia’s Targeting of Civilian Sites
President Zelensky accused Russia of waging war on hospitals and civilian infrastructure, saying, “Everyone in the world must pay attention to what Russia is targeting—hospitals and civilian lives.”
3. Ukraine Calls for Global Attention to War Crimes
Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmygal called the strike further evidence of Russia’s war crimes, adding to a long list of attacks on medical facilities since the war began in 2022.
4. Attack Coincided with Kyiv’s Buffer Zone Offensive
The strikes come as Ukraine continues its offensive aimed at creating a buffer zone inside Russia, following the surprise attack in Russia’s Kursk region on August 6.
5. Multiple Strikes to Maximize Casualties
Ukraine’s air force confirmed that Russia launched multiple strikes, with two drones hitting the hospital and targeting rescue operations to maximize casualties.
6. A Pattern of Strikes on Medical Facilities
Human Rights Watch reported that since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, at least 1,736 medical facilities in Ukraine have been destroyed or damaged, including children’s hospitals and maternity wards.
7. Evacuations and Aftermath of the Attack
The hospital’s director reported that the admission, casualty department, and fourth floor were destroyed. Seriously injured patients were transferred to other medical centers for intensive care.
8. Other Areas Also Affected
In addition to the hospital, strikes hit residential areas, shattering windows and damaging homes. Volunteers working to repair damaged homes were present during the second attack, narrowly escaping the explosions.
9. Wider Russian Drone Attacks Across Ukraine
In addition to the Sumy strike, Ukraine’s air force downed 68 out of 73 Russian drones launched overnight. Several regions, including Sumy and Kryvyi Rig, were targeted, resulting in multiple casualties.
10. International Response and Ongoing Tensions
Closing his U.S. visit, Zelensky thanked President Joe Biden for an $8 billion military aid package. Meanwhile, Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov warned European countries against confrontation with Moscow during his UN General Assembly address.
The tragic hospital strike in Sumy adds to the growing list of civilian facilities targeted during the war, further intensifying international condemnation of Russia’s actions.
