Ukraine war latest: Russian guided bomb attack on Sumy kills 5, including child, injures 32

Key developments on July 11-12:

• Russian guided bomb attack on Sumy kills 5, including child, injures 32
• 'Expressly prohibited' — Ukraine's largest defense firm illegally stored weapons near civilian targets in Vyshneve, Zelensky says
• Ukraine says it eliminated 14 more Russian shadow fleet vessels overnight
• Ukraine PM's resignation stuns lawmakers as potential successors emerge

Russian forces struck civilian infrastructure in the northeastern city of Sumy with three guided aerial bombs on July 11, killing five people, including a 13-year-old girl, and injuring 32 others, local authorities said.

Two of the bombs struck a busy area of the city, with one hitting near a road and a public transport stop, where the child was killed, according to the Sumy regional police. A third bomb struck an infrastructure facility.

Three other men died in the attack and another victim died in the hospital, bringing the death toll to five. Another 32 people have been injured, including three children, Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office reported.

Law enforcement have a launched a war crimes investigation due to the attack on civilians, the Prosecutor's Office said.

Regional Governor Oleh Hryhorov said five of the injured victims were in serious condition. Rescue operations were ongoing as authorities worked to determine the full extent of the damage.

The attack came hours after Russia launched six ballistic missiles, six other missiles, and 121 attack and decoy drones against Ukraine overnight, according to the Air Force. Just over the past day, Russian strikes killed at least 10 people and injured at least 80 others, according to regional authorities.

Russia has increasingly relied on guided aerial bombs to strike cities and communities close to the front line, particularly in Sumy, Kharkiv, and Donetsk oblasts. A week before the latest bombing, Russia attacked downtown Sumy with six guided bombs, killing a five-year-old and three other victims.

Launched from aircraft outside the range of many Ukrainian air defense systems, the bombs have become a frequent tool in Russia's attacks on civilian infrastructure and urban areas.

'Expressly prohibited' — Ukraine's largest defense firm illegally stored weapons near civilian targets in Vyshneve, Zelensky says

Top officials at Ukroboronprom, Ukraine's state-owned defense conglomerate, violated the law by allowing weapons depots to be located in the Kyiv suburb of Vyshneve, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on July 11.

The announcement comes after Zelensky told journalists on July 9 that a criminal investigation had been launched into the massive explosions in Vyshneve during a recent Russian missile attack and that dismissals at Ukroboronprom would follow.

Vyshneve, a small town on the western outskirts of Kyiv, endured a night of terror on July 6 when it came under Russian drone and missile fire during a mass attack on the capital. An ammunition warehouse was hit, triggering secondary explosions. Seven people in Vyshneve were killed, while 29 others suffered injuries.

Zelensky revealed on July 9 that the depot belonged to Ukroboronprom, and said on July 11 that leaders of the company were criminally liable for illegaly storing weapons near civilian areas.

"There are designated locations in Ukraine for storing weapons and ammunition — all of which are specified to be located away from residential buildings," the president said.

Ukraine's State Security Service (SBU) has identified the main individuals responsible for violating these prohibitions and allowing the Vyshneve warehouse, Zelensky said. These include the heads of two state-owned enterprises within Ukroboronprom. Their deputies and other officials at the company are also under investigation.

"The specific officials involved are known, and the state's position is that each of them must be held fairly accountable," Zelensky said. The names and titles of the individuals were not publicly disclosed.

Zelensky said the disaster at Vyshneve demanded a broader government response, including continued investigations and possible reforms.

"The (SBU), together with other law enforcement agencies, must inspect other similar enterprises, and every enterprise leader at their respective level must ensure that such tragedies do not recur," he said.

Ukroboronprom, also known as Ukrainian Defense Industry, is a leading strategic manufacturer of weapons and military hardware in Ukraine. The association unites about 100 enterprises that develop and manufacture weapons, military equipment and ammunition, including missiles, drones, armored vehicles.

Ukraine says it eliminated 14 more Russian shadow fleet vessels overnight

Ukraine says it destroyed 14 more Russian vessels overnight on July 12th as Kyiv continues to eliminate Russia’s shadow fleet in a bid to choke funding for Moscow’s war machine.

Robert "Madyar" Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces said that his team had destroyed 10 tankers and four ferries, bringing the total number of destroyed Russian shadow fleet vessels to 90 units this week alone.

He noted that a Russian tanker, tugboat, cargo ship, or other vessels in the Azov Sea was hit every 112 minutes during the week.

The day before, Brovdi noted that traffic through the Kerch Strait had stopped after Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces hit 21 tankers, four tugboats, two dry cargo vessels, and one specialized vessel.

The General Staff previously said the tankers are used "to transport oil and petroleum products while circumventing international sanctions, providing funds to finance the armed aggression against Ukraine."

The military added that the tugboats, dry cargo vessels, and the specialized vessel support Russia's military logistics, cargo transportation, and port infrastructure.

Ukraine PM's resignation stuns lawmakers as potential successors emerge

Yulia Svyrydenko confirmed on July 12 that she would step down as Ukraine’s Prime Minister following President Volodymyr Zelensky's announcement of a government reshuffle.

Her resignation comes as a surprise to some lawmakers in Zelensky's Servant of the People party, fueling speculation about the real motive behind the decision.

"It's a strange situation," one lawmaker told the Kyiv Independent on condition of anonymity.

"Cabinet resignations are generally a last resort. They're usually something you would expect in the fall, when the political season begins, and people expect some political changes, since there are no elections," they continued.

"Maybe there are some extraordinary reasons for the reshuffle... It looks like a preemptive move."

The lawmaker added they see no obvious reason for Svyrydenko's removal.

Svyrydenko, who replaced former Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in July 2025, will now take on a new role leading cooperation with Ukraine's key partners, Zelensky announced on social media.

"Ukraine is changing its political strategy. Each priority foreign policy direction will be overseen by a specific individual with substantial experience who is capable of delivering on the agreements reached at the leaders' level and fulfilling the expectations of the Ukrainian people," Zelensky wrote.

"I discussed the details with Ukraine's Prime Minister, Yulia Svyrydenko. We agreed that implementing these changes requires a renewal of the Cabinet of Ministers."

Svyrydenko, who previously led the Economy Ministry, wrote on social media that she had met with President Zelensky to discuss Ukraine's challenges, the changes needed to bolster the work of the government, and Kyiv's relations with international partners. She added that she would continue to serve the Ukrainian state.

The decision still needs to be approved by the parliament.

Zelensky's party will meet on July 14 to discuss the personnel changes, two lawmakers told the Kyiv Independent.

The likely candidates to replace Svrydenko are the head of state-owned energy company Naftogaz, Serhii Koretskyi, Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal, who served as prime minister from 2020-2025, Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, and Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov, a lawmaker from Zelensky's party told the Kyiv Independent.