Russian attacks on Sumy Oblast kill 3, injure 7, including teen

Russia attacked the Sumy Oblast border villages of Bilopillia and Vorozhba on May 5, killing three residents and injuring seven others, the regional military administration reported.

Russia launched guided aerial bombs, mortars, and multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) against the border area on May 5, the administration said. The strikes killed three people and injured at least seven others, including a 16-year-old boy.

As of 9 p.m. local time, one of the adult victims was reported to be in critical condition. Another was said to be in serious condition.

The attacks damaged civilian infrastructure facilities in both Bilopillia and Vorozhba, the administration said. Local authorities initiated an emergency evacuation due to the intensity of the attacks.

The evacuation operation remains ongoing and authorities hope to evacuate more than 500 civilians over the next day, the administration said.

Shelling is a daily occurrence for the communities near Ukraine's northeastern border with Russia, with Sumy Oblast residents often experiencing multiple attacks per day.

More recently, Russia has been deploying small assault groups to infiltrate the region in a bid to expand the front line. Sumy Oblast borders Russia's Kursk Oblast as well as Bryansk and Belgorod oblasts, making it a critical front in the full-scale war.