Ukraine says nine killed in Russia strikes on hospital

Nine group person been killed successful copy Russian drone strikes connected a infirmary successful Ukraine's north-eastern metropolis of Sumy, Ukrainian officials say.

They opportunity nan building was deed connected Saturday morning, and was struck again erstwhile rescuers were evacuating people.

At slightest 12 group were injured successful nan onslaught that destroyed respective floors of nan infirmary and triggered a fire.

Ukraine's authorities emergencies work DSNS says 122 group person been evacuated.

Sumy, astir 30km (19 miles) from nan Russian border, has seen almost regular Russian attacks successful caller weeks.

The Saint Panteleimon infirmary successful Sumy was deed by Shahed kamikaze drones, Ukrainian officials say, adding that dozens of patients and unit were wrong astatine nan time.

A caregiver and a constabulary serviceman who had been aiding nan removal were among those killed successful nan strikes.

The DSNS said 3 floors of nan four-storey building, arsenic good arsenic nan tile were partially destroyed.

It said a occurrence that collapsed retired aft nan strikes was later contained.

Several residential buildings successful nan area were besides damaged.

Reacting to nan Russian strikes, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged nan world to "pay attraction to what Russia is targeting.

"They are waging warfare connected hospitals, civilian objects, and people’s lives," he said successful a connection connected societal media.

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful February 2022.

In its latest operational update connected Saturday, nan Russian defence ministry says its forces carried retired strikes connected respective Ukrainian brigades successful nan Sumy region.

The defence ministry did not remark connected nan reported infirmary strikes.

Sumy borders Russia’s Kursk region, wherever Ukraine launched its astonishment incursion successful August, capturing astatine slightest 1 municipality and a number of villages.

The evident purpose of nan violative was to halt Russia's beforehand successful eastbound Ukraine by redeploying troops to Kursk.

However, Russian troops person since claimed to person captured respective villages successful Ukraine's Donetsk region, and are now threatening a cardinal municipality of Vuhledar.

Saturday's strikes travel a time aft Zelensky met Donald Trump successful New York. The Republican statesmanlike nominee has many times criticised nan Ukrainian leader connected nan US run trail, and a gathering betwixt nan brace had seemed improbable until hours before.

On Thursday, nan Ukrainian leader met US President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris astatine nan White House to talk his "victory plan", which he hopes will unit Russia into agreeing a negotiated extremity to nan war.

Hours before, Biden had announced a further $7.9bn (£5.9bn) package of subject assistance to Ukraine.