Russian drone hits Sumy funeral procession in ‘cynical’ attack, killing 1, injuring 9
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A Russian drone attacked a funeral procession on the outskirts of the northeastern city of Sumy on the morning of May 23 in what regional authorities described as a "cynical attack," killing one person and injuring nine others.
Sumy, located around 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the Russian border in northeastern Ukraine, faces frequent cross-border drone, missile, and artillery attacks throughout the full-scale war due to its proximity to Russian territory.
According to the Sumy Oblast Military Administration, the drone struck the procession while commemorations marking Ukraine’s Day of Heroes were taking place across the city.
Authorities initially reported that one man had been critically injured in the attack. Officials later said he died during surgery in hospital.
"Doctors did everything possible to save his life," the administration said, adding that the victim's identity was still being established.
Authorities said all those injured were receiving medical assistance and warned that the threat of repeated Russian attacks remained.
Earlier in the day, local officials and residents gathered at Sumy's central cemetery to honor fallen Ukrainian soldiers as part of Day of Heroes commemorations. The events included a flower-laying ceremony at the city's Alley of Glory and a minute of silence organized by local youth groups.
The attack came amid continued Russian strikes across Ukraine overnight. Russia launched 124 drones overnight on May 23, according to Ukraine's Air Force. Regional authorities reported at least five people killed and more than 60 injured across multiple oblasts over the past day.
Russia has repeatedly targeted funerals, memorial gatherings, and civilian commemorations throughout the full-scale war. In October 2023, a Russian strike on a memorial gathering in the village of Hroza in Kharkiv Oblast killed 51 people in one of the deadliest attacks on Ukrainian civilians during the invasion.
