President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has accused Russia of “waging war on hospitals” following Russian strikes on a hospital in Sumy that killed 10 people on Saturday.
Ukrainian Interior Minister Igor Klymenko reported on Telegram that the initial strike resulted in one fatality and extensive damage to several floors of the hospital. During the patient evacuation, another strike occurred.
Sumy is located near the border with Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukraine launched a surprise offensive on August 6 to create a buffer zone inside Russia. “Russia hit one of the city’s hospitals with Shahed drones,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram.
The St Panteleimon Clinical Hospital near the city centre was targeted, resulting in the death of a nurse.
As Zelensky urges Western allies to provide long-range precision weapons for deeper strikes inside Russia, he emphasises the need for global attention on Russia’s attacks on civilian and medical facilities. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal labelled the attack as further evidence of Russia’s war crimes.
Zelensky shared images of smoke billowing from the hospital, rescuers aiding patients, and two policemen receiving treatment on the ground.
There were 86 patients and 38 employees present in the hospital at the moment of the attack, the Sumy regional Prosecutor’s Office said, adding that one policeman had been killed and another injured. pic.twitter.com/iFwWmvL3iv
— Novaya Gazeta Europe (@novayagazeta_en) September 28, 2024
Ukraine’s air force stated that three drones targeted the regional capital on Saturday morning, with two hitting the hospital. The second strike occurred about an hour after the first, seemingly aimed at the ongoing rescue operations to increase casualties.
Human Rights Watch reported in July that at least 1,736 medical facilities have been damaged or destroyed in Ukraine since the invasion began in February 2022. This includes a children’s hospital in Kyiv and a maternity hospital in Mariupol.
Regional prosecutors detailed that the first attack happened around 7.35am local time and the second about an hour later. Officials posted images showing body bags outside the heavily damaged four-storey building.
Hospital Director Volodymyr Potseluyev indicated that the admission and casualty departments, as well as the fourth floor, were destroyed. Seriously injured patients were moved to intensive care units in other hospitals.
The strikes also impacted a residential area, with officials sharing images of flats with broken windows. Dobrobat, a volunteer group, was on-site during the second strike and posted a video showing thick smoke, explosions, and people seeking shelter.
⚡️ As a result of a Russian attack on a hospital in Sumy, the reception area, trauma center, and the fourth floor were destroyed, according to Suspilne.
Seriously injured patients were transferred to intensive care units of other medical institutions.
📹: Suspilne pic.twitter.com/HgP3icjoqI
— UNITED24 Media (@United24media) September 28, 2024
Ukraine’s air force reported shooting down 68 out of 73 Russian attack drones overnight, including in Sumy, and intercepted two out of four cruise missiles. In Kryvyi Rig, rescuers retrieved another body from the rubble of a police office hit by a missile on Friday, raising the death toll to four.
A drone strike in Kharkiv’s border village killed one man and injured three women, according to Regional Governor Oleg Synegubov.
In Russia’s Belgorod border region, a local died from a drone attack on Saturday morning, stated Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov. Zelensky, concluding his visit to the United States, thanked President Joe Biden for a new US$8 billion military aid package and expressed gratitude to the US Congress for its unwavering support.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned European nations against confronting Moscow in a speech to the UN General Assembly in New York. He criticised Western countries for using the “illegitimate neo-Nazi Kyiv regime” against Russia and cautioned against challenging a nuclear power.
What Other Media Are Saying
- Al Jazeera underscores the chaos and devastation caused by the attacks, with eyewitness accounts detailing the immediate aftermath and emphasising the urgent need for international attention to civilian safety in Ukraine. (Read more)
- The Daily Guardian reports on Russian strikes in Ukraine’s Sumy, killing 10, including medical staff, with President Zelensky condemning Russia’s targeting of hospitals and civilian lives. (Read more)
- AP News reports on the tragic loss of life from the drone strikes, noting the strategic significance of Sumy near the Russian border and the ongoing military tensions affecting both nations. (Read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
What did President Zelensky say about the Russian strikes on the Sumy hospital?
Zelensky condemned Moscow for ‘waging war on hospitals’ after the strike killed 10 people.
How many medical facilities has Russia damaged or destroyed in Ukraine since February 2022?
Russia has damaged or destroyed at least 1,736 medical facilities.
Who was among the dead in the Sumy hospital attack?
A nurse was among the dead in the Sumy hospital attack.
What did Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal say about the attack?
Denys Shmygal called the attack ‘more evidence of Russia’s war crimes.’
What did Ukraine’s air force report about the Russian attack drones?
Ukraine’s air force reported shooting down 68 out of 73 Russian attack drones.
