On July 11, Russian forces struck the center of Sumy. According to Oleh Hryhorov, head of the regional military administration, the attack killed four people and left another 17 injured.
Hryhorov said that two guided aerial bombs exploded in a crowded area where civilians were present. One of the strikes hit near a public transport stop, which was at the center of the blast.
Among those killed, regional authorities said, was one child. The strike took place during the daytime, when civilians were in the city center.
This was already the second attack on Sumy since the beginning of July to cause heavy civilian casualties. On July 3, a high-rise apartment building and a store in the city center came under attack. According to official figures at the time, three people were killed and 27 were injured.
Sumy lies about 35 kilometers from the front line. In this area, the line runs close to the Russian-Ukrainian border.