Sumy

Since last August, when, with complete surprise to both Russia and the West, the forces of Ukraine invaded the Russian province of Kursk, the question was more about how long they would be able to maintain the roughly 1,000 square kilometers they occupied in just a few days and less about why Kyiv made the move.

At least 11 people were wounded on Sunday in a series of Russian strikes on Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine, emergency services announced.

The regional capital was hit by several "massive aerial strikes" at dawn, Ukrainian emergency services said in a statement.

Ukraine's air defense successfully intercepted 72 of the 76 Russian Shahed drones launched during the night of 13-14 September. The Russian forces initiated the strike from various locations, including Russia's Kursk and Yeisk, as well as Cape Chauda in occupied Crimea. In the aftermath, two drones disappeared from Ukrainian radar, while two others returned to Russia.

President Vladimir Putin said Monday Kiev's incursion into Russia's Kursk region will not stop Moscow's advance in east Ukraine and vowed to deal with Ukrainian "bandits" there.

Ukraine's surprise August 6 incursion into Russia has displaced around 130,000 people and seen Kiev hold on to parts of the border Kursk region.

Five civilians were killed, and 12 others were injured after Ukrainian forces shelled the town of Rakitnoye in Russia's Belgorod region, according to the region's governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov. Among the injured were three children, with nine people hospitalized, including a 16-year-old girl in intensive care.

The Kursk region and surrounding areas along the Russian-Ukrainian border have remained on high alert for the third day following an invasion by Ukrainian forces, who, according to sources, have penetrated up to 10 kilometers into Russian territory.

Russian airstrikes have rendered the Ukrainian city of Sumy without access to drinking water, as reported by "Suspilne". The attacks damaged the power supply to Sumy's water distribution system, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has pledged more forceful retaliation against Russian attacks, following a recent escalation of hostilities in the ongoing war between the two nations. The promise comes in the wake of Russian airstrikes targeting the Ukrainian city of Sumy, resulting in damage to civil infrastructure, according to reports from the regional administration.

Day 626 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has approved the sending of "Leopard 2" tanks to Ukraine and says he will allow other countries to do the same, "Spiegel" reported.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg pointed out that the members of the Alliance should not only send defensive weapons and those that will enable Kyiv to regain lost territories.