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Russian strikes on Sumy kill 2, injure 23, including 4 children

• 2 min read
Russian strikes on Sumy kill 2, injure 23, including 4 children
A residential building damaged by a Russian attack in Sumy, northeastern Ukraine, on Sept. 26, 2026. (Oleh Hryhorov/Facebook)

Russian forces struck the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy with glide bombs on Sept. 26, killing two people and injuring 23 others, including four children, local authorities said.

The strikes hit several locations across the Sumy community, including a residential area, Sumy Oblast Governor Oleh Hryhorov said. Three children — girls aged 14 and 8 and an 11-month-old infant — and two adults were hospitalized following the attack.

The strikes damaged dozens of apartment buildings and a house, as well as a cultural institution, two kindergartens, administrative buildings, and more than 20 vehicles, Hryhorov said.

The attack came days after U.S. President Donald Trump called for an end to Russia's war against Ukraine during his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York and met with President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss ceasefire proposals.

Following the Sept. 22 meeting, Zelensky said Ukraine was ready to accept a mutual ceasefire covering attacks on energy infrastructure, including oil and diesel refineries, provided Russia agreed to the same terms.

Russia has continued launching large-scale attacks against Ukraine amid the renewed diplomatic push. Overnight on Sept. 26, Russian forces launched 173 Shahed-type drones, including 50 jet-powered drones, at Ukraine, the Air Force said. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 134 drones, while strikes were recorded at 19 locations and falling debris at eight others.

Kyiv faced a second consecutive day of Russian attacks involving jet-powered drones on Sept. 26.

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Anna Fratsyvir

Assistant Opinion Editor

Anna Fratsyvir is an assistant opinion editor at the Kyiv Independent, with a background in broadcast journalism and international affairs. Previously, she worked as a news editor at the Kyiv Independent, and as a TV journalist at Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne, covering global politics and international developments. Anna holds a Bachelor's degree in International Communications from Taras Shevchenko National University and is currently an MA candidate in International Relations at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

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Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces said the strike on the oil refinery, located approximately 400 kilometers (250 miles) from where the Ukrainian drones were launched, was carried out by the 1st Separate Center of the Unmanned Systems Forces and the 414th Separate Brigade, known as "Madyar's Birds," along with other Ukrainian military units.

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