‘Many dead’ in Ukrainian city after Russian airstrike, says mayor

A missile attack in Sumy has resulted in multiple casualties, according to the acting mayor, amid ongoing assaults from Russian forces.

Ukrainian officials on Sunday said there were "many dead" after a Russian missile strike on the northeastern city of Sumy, which has come under intense attack from Moscow's forces in recent weeks.

A drone explodes in the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine April 12, 2025. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich (REUTERS)

Sumy lies close to the Russian border and has been under increasing pressure since Moscow pushed back much of Ukraine's troops from its Kursk region across the border.

"Many dead today as a result of a missile strike," the acting mayor of Sumy, Artem Kobzar, said on social media, adding that "the enemy has struck civilians again".

Burnt-out cars and plumes of smoke rising into the air

Unverified images on social media showed burnt-out cars and plumes of smoke rising into the air.

Sumy lies some 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the border.

Kyiv has warned for weeks that Moscow could mount an offensive on Sumy.

Last month Russia claimed the capture of a village in the Sumy region for the first time since the early days of its 2022 invasion.