A deadly Russian missile strike has killed six Ukrainian servicemen and injured more than 10 others during a training exercise in the Sumy border region, Ukraine’s National Guard confirmed early Wednesday.
The attack, which took place at a military firing range, struck while the unit was conducting planned exercises. In response, the unit’s commander has been suspended, and an official investigation is now underway.
Earlier, Russia’s Ministry of Defense released a video it claims shows an Iskander missile striking a training camp. Russian state news agency Tass reported that as many as 70 people may have been killed, though this figure has not been independently verified.
BBC Verify has located the strike site in the far north of Ukraine’s Sumy region, just south of the Russian border. The unverified Russian footage shows dozens of soldiers walking through a wooded area before a powerful explosion and thick smoke fill the frame.
The Sumy region has faced repeated Russian shelling in recent months. Ukraine had previously launched a months-long offensive into neighboring Russia’s Kursk region, aimed at creating a buffer zone to shield Sumy from continued attacks. Ukrainian officials say the operation forced Moscow to divert elite units to the area. However, some Ukrainian commanders have criticized the campaign for what they called “unjustified losses.”
Last week, battalion commander Oleksandr Shyrshyn publicly condemned what he described as “moronic tasks” set by Ukraine’s military leadership, pointing to a lack of strategy and avoidable casualties.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin confirmed President Vladimir Putin visited Kursk on Tuesday—his first trip there since Ukrainian forces were expelled from the region. State media said Putin met with local officials, including acting governor Alexander Khinshtein, and toured a nearby nuclear facility.
Adding to Ukraine’s concern, Moscow has reportedly deployed thousands of North Korean troops to the border region to bolster its efforts in retaking control of territory.
Despite Ukraine’s claims of repelling Russia’s attempts to build a “security zone” in Sumy, Russian forces continue their slow but steady push to seize more territory in the country’s east. Ukrainian officials say 14 Russian attacks were launched overnight in areas near Druzhba, Petrivka, and Toretsk.
A Ukrainian soldier stationed near Pokrovsk told the BBC that Russian troops have intensified efforts to capture a key supply route, adding that Ukrainian forces have been struggling to hold their positions.
Prospects for a ceasefire appear bleak. Although low-level talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations were held in Istanbul last Friday, there has been little progress. U.S. President Donald Trump recently floated the idea of the Vatican mediating future negotiations, but the Vatican downplayed any immediate plans, calling it more of a hopeful notion than an active proposal.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he expects Moscow to soon present broad terms for a potential ceasefire. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed such moves, claiming Russia is “just trying to buy time to continue its war and occupation.”
