Russia attacks 11 communities in Sumy Oblast

Russian forces struck 11 communities in Ukraine's northeastern Sumy Oblast in 51 separate attacks throughout the day, the Sumy Oblast Military Administration reported on March 21. At least 273 explosions were reported in the region over the past 24 hours.

The communities of Mykolaiv, Khotin, Bilopillia, Vorozhba, Myropillia, Velyka Pysarivka, Shalyhyne, Esman, Druzhbivka, Svesa, and Seredyna-Buda were targeted.

Throughout the day, Russia assailed the border communities with mortar, artillery, grenade launcher, drone attacks. Several guided and unguided rockets targeted at least three communities.

The town of Bilopillia, with a pre-war population of about 15,600, experienced the bulk of the attacks,  with 122 explosions reported in the area. The community is 43 kilometers away from the Ukraine-Russia border.

In recent weeks, Russian assaults on Sumy Oblast have escalated in their destructive impact.

On March 17, Russian forces attacked the town of Velyka Pysarivka with a barrage of mortar, artillery, rocket launcher, and guided and unguided aerial bombs. One person was killed and another injured as a result of Russian strike.

Another attack on March 13 left three people killed and 12 injured when a Russian Shahed-type drone hit a five-story apartment building in the regional capital, Sumy.  

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The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova