Russian missile strikes Kiev troops during award ceremony in Sumy – Ukrainian MP

More than 20 people have been killed and over 80 wounded in the blast, according to local authorities

A Russian missile has struck Ukrainian troops lining up for an award ceremony in the city of Sumy near the front line, according to Ukrainian lawmaker Mariana Bezuglaya, a former member of Vladimir Zelensky’s political party.

The acting mayor of Sumy, Artyon Kobzar, said that the strike on the city’s center on Sunday left more than 20 people dead and over 80 wounded.

Bezuglaya claimed in a post on Telegram later in the day that those killed were Ukrainian servicemen.

“An appeal to [Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, Aleksandr] Syrsky and separately to the commander of the Territorial Defense Forces: Do not gather the troops for award ceremonies, especially in civilian cities,” she wrote.

The legislator, who used to be a member of Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky’s ‘Servant of the People’ party, also alleged that “the Russians had information about the gathering.”

“Do not do roll calls. Do not stage award ceremonies,” she urged the military.

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Ukrainian journalist and former MP Natalya Mosiychuk also confirmed that the Russian strike had targeted a muster of the Ukrainian servicemen. She called for the arrest of the head of the Sumy military administration Vladimir Artyukh and Zelensky party legislator Mikhail Ananachenko, who she blamed for organizing and promoting the award ceremony. “Beside the soldiers, they gathered civilians, including children there. Bastards and scumbags!”

The Russian Defense Ministry did not mention a strike in Sumy during its daily bulletin on Sunday.

Bezuglaya, 36, has repeatedly criticized Ukraine’s senior military commanders since quitting Zelensky’s party last February. In July 2024, she was blacklisted by the notorious Ukrainian website Mirotvorets, a semi-official database of perceived enemies of the state.