Seoul: At least three people were killed and 16 others injured after Russia launched a rocket artillery strike on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday.

According to Anadolu Agency, President Zelenskyy shared on Telegram that the attack specifically targeted the city and its streets with rocket artillery, describing it as a deliberate strike on civilians. A rescue operation is ongoing, and it was confirmed that a multiple-launch rocket system shell penetrated a ninth-floor apartment but did not detonate.

The State Emergency Service of Ukraine also reported casualties from the attack. A shell hit a roadway in one district, causing a fire in a car, which was subsequently extinguished. Another neighborhood saw damage to an apartment building, though there was no large-scale destruction or fire.

Russia has not immediately responded to these claims. Sumy, which is near the Russian border, has been subjected to frequent shelling since the conflict began in February 2022.