A missile strike launched by Russia has wounded dozens of people, including children, in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy. This occurred while discussions were taking place with the US regarding a proposed ceasefire in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Russian and US officials had convened in Saudi Arabia, with Ukrainian and American delegations set to gather in Riyadh the following day. Both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of hindering efforts to establish a ceasefire in the three-year-old war.
During Monday’s talks, there was no immediate word on whether an agreement or progress had been reached. A Russian source revealed that a draft joint statement regarding the talks’ outcome had been sent to Moscow and Washington for approval, with the expectation of releasing it on Tuesday. A White House source said that the talks were going “extremely well” and a positive announcement was expected soon. The discussions were expected to cover energy infrastructure and a possible pause in attacks in the Black Sea to ensure the safety of commercial shipping.
As the Russia-US meeting proceeded, a Russian missile strike caused damage to a school and a hospital in Sumy, wounding at least 88 people, including 17 children. The Ukrainian foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, criticized Russia’s claims of seeking peace while carrying out brutal strikes on densely populated residential areas. He called for Russia to cease bombing cities and end its war on civilians.
It is worth noting that Sumy is situated approximately 18.6 miles from the Russian border and is prone to regular drone and missile strikes by Russia. The article also included a section about a possible consent roadblock related to Spreaker cookies and a mention of a podcast called “The World With Richard Engel And Yalda Hakim.” Furthermore, the Ukrainian intelligence agency claims that Russia is employing unwitting Ukrainian teenagers to carry out terrorist attacks by offering them money to deliver remotely detonated packages. Sky News was unable to independently verify these claims.
Source: https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-war-russia-accused-of-hollow-peace-talks-as-strike-injures-dozens-including-children-13335293
