Russia must stop its attacks instead of “making hollow statements about peace”, Ukraine’s foreign minister has said, after a Russian missile strike injured dozens of people in the city of Sumy.
“Any diplomacy with Moscow must be backed by firepower, sanctions and pressure,” Andrii Sybiha said.
The attack, which Ukraine says targeted civilian infrastructure, took place as US and Russian negotiators met in Riyadh for talks aimed at pausing aspects of the war.
Top of the agenda is reportedly the revival of a 2022 grain deal allowing Kyiv to export across the Black Sea without Russian attacks. In return, Moscow is said to be seeking relief from Western sanctions, enabling it to export fertilisers.
Russia stopped giving safe passage to cargo ships going to and from Ukraine in summer 2023, when it pulled out of the Black Sea grain deal.
Ukraine’s delegation is also in the Saudi capital. It remained there after meeting American counterparts on Sunday evening.
Kyiv described talks as “productive and focused”, while US President Donald Trump’s special envoy said separate discussions with Ukrainian and Russian teams would bring about “some real progress” to ending the war.
Both Russia and Ukraine have continued fighting despite the ongoing talks looking to bring a halt to hostilities across the vast front line.
Ukrainian officials say 65 people, including 14 children, were injured in Monday’s attack on the northern city of Sumy.
The strike targeted children’s establishments and a hospital, according to Sumy’s regional head.
Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the attack showed Russia was “once again showing that it wants to continue the terror”.
“The international community must increase the pressure on Russia to stop the aggression and ensure justice and save the lives of Ukrainians,” he wrote on X.
Sumy borders Russia’s Kursk region, parts of which have been occupied by Ukrainian troops to strengthen Kyiv’s hand in any negotiations, though they have been forced back in recent weeks.
Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of not abiding by last week’s deal for a 30-day ceasefire during which the warring parties would refrain from targeting infrastructure facilities.
Russia’s defence ministry said Ukraine launched a drone attack against the Kropotkinskaya oil pumping station in Krasnodar, southern Russia, at 02:00 local time on Monday (23:00 GMT on Sunday), according to Russian state media.
The defence ministry said it had shot down overnight 227 Ukrainian drones in several Russian regions.
Meanwhile, a Russian air strike injured a 37-year-old man in Ukraine’s Kyiv region, according to local authorities.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory.
Reported by BBC
