Brief by Shorts91NewsDesk / 09:51am on 13 Apr 2025,Sunday International
A Russian missile strike on the northern Ukrainian city of Sumy on Sunday resulted in over 20 civilian deaths, according to acting mayor Artem Kobzar. Ukrainian officials condemned the attack, which occurred shortly after U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to discuss a potential peace deal. Ukrainian security official Andriy Kovalenko criticized the strike as undermining diplomatic efforts. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, it has occupied about 20% of Ukrainian territory and shifted its military strategy towards missile and drone strikes. Despite a recent U.S.-brokered moratorium on attacks targeting each other's energy infrastructure, both Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of violating the agreement. Russia claimed five Ukrainian attacks on its energy sites in the past day, suggesting a further escalation in hostilities. (PC: Reuters)
