Russian occupation forces have carried out a series of fierce attacks on civilian and industrial infrastructure in Ukraine.
As of 4:30 a.m. on July 21, the situation in the affected regions remains critical, sparking a wave of international outrage.
Fire and critical condition of children in Sumy
In Sumy, a Russian jet drone struck near a multi-story residential building, causing serious material damage. In the same area, a massive fire broke out on the territory of the “Epicenter“ shopping mall. The head of the Sumy regional military administration, Oleg Grigorov, confirmed in a statement quoted by UNN that six people, including four children, were injured in the attack.
According to the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, quoted by Interfax-Ukraine, one of the children is in critical condition with severe shrapnel injuries. Doctors performed an emergency operation to stabilize his vital signs. The remaining minors have minor burns, but are in severe psychological shock.
Cluster munitions in Kharkiv region
The Russian army has struck residential and administrative buildings in Kharkiv region with rocket systems and cluster munitions. Local authorities and investigative teams of the National Police, reported by Ukrinform, are warning the population of the danger of unexploded submunitions on the streets. Heavy damage was caused to civilian enterprises and dozens of cars.
Victims in Odessa and international reactions
The number of injured in the Russian missile strike on a civilian enterprise in the Odessa region has risen to six people, and three have died, the Ground News news portal reports. Critical infrastructure was hit, a gas installation was damaged, and a fire was started in the production halls. The regional governor, Oleg Kiper, told Ukrainian Television, quoted by Reuters, that the region had been subjected to round-the-clock shelling in July.
The use of cluster munitions in densely populated areas was strongly condemned by the United Nations. In an official statement, transmitted by Deutsche Welle, the organization called this a direct violation of international law. The White House also condemned the strikes on the shopping center in Sumy, defining them as another act of terror, CNN reports. Meanwhile, France and Germany have called for an urgent strengthening of Ukraine's air defenses, Agence France-Presse reports.