Russia shells 8 communities in Sumy Oblast, killing 7.

Russian forces shelled eight communities in Sumy Oblast on June 13, firing over 21 times at the border areas, the Sumy Oblast Military Administration reported[1]. Over 101 explosions were recorded. The administration said on their official Telegram page that Russia shelled the Khotin, Myropilla, Bilopillia, Znob-Novhorodske, Seredyna-Buda, Esman, Nova Sloboda and Velyka Pysarivka communities.

Russian forces used artillery and mortars to target the Seredyna-Buda community, killing employees of the State Forestry, while the Myropolska community was attacked with a drone. A private home in Seredyna-Buda was destroyed as a result of the shelling. According to Sumy Oblast Governor Volodymyr Artiukh, seven State Forestry employees were killed.

Artiukh also added that an orphanage housing[2] 135 children in Bilopillia was impacted by the shelling on June 13. The State Emergency Service was able to transport the children to safety. Since parts of Sumy Oblast were liberated from Russian troops in early April 2022, the region has been experiencing daily shelling and attacks from across the border, as it is located on Ukraine's northeastern border with Russia.

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Rachel Amran is a news reporter at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked on the Europe and Central Asia team of Human Rights Watch investigating war crimes in Ukraine.

Rachel holds a master's degree in Russian, Eastern European, and Eurasian Regional Studies from Columbia University.

References

1. ^ reported (t.me)
2. ^ housing (t.me)
3. ^ Ukraine makes gains 1 week into counteroffensive but decisive battle yet to beginUkraine's large-scale counteroffensive, anticipated for months, spearheaded by new Western tanks and armored vehicles, has finally begun.

   No longer limited to shaping operations or localized counterattacks, evidence shows the beginning of major Ukrainian offensive pushes to break through fortified... (kyivindependent.com)