Ukraine says Russia hit building sheltering civilians in Kursk region

KYIV, Ukraine: Ukraine said Saturday that Moscow had struck a boarding school building sheltering civilians in the Kyiv-held town of Sudzha in Russia’s Kursk region, trapping dozens under the rubble.
Kyiv launched a surprise cross-border offensive into the Kursk region last August, seizing dozens of villages and small towns including the regional hub of Sudzha — home to about 6,000 people before the fighting.
“Russian aviation struck a boarding school in the town of Sudzha, Kursk region, with a guided aerial bomb. The strike was carried out on purpose,” the Ukrainian army’s general staff said on Telegram.
“At the time of the attack, dozens of local residents were inside the building preparing to evacuate. Everything possible is being done to rescue the survivors,” it said.
Oleksiy Dmytrashkivsky, spokesman for Ukraine’s military command in the region, said 95 people were trapped under the rubble.
“I would like to remind you that most of these people are elderly and lying down,” he said.
AFP was not able to immediately verify Ukraine’s claim, and Russian officials made no immediate public comments on Kyiv’s accusation.
A Russian official in the region told AFP last week that authorities were working “constantly” to secure the return of Russian civilians caught behind the front lines.