Russia continues airstrikes during Saudi ceasefire talks

At least 74 people wounded, including 13 children, after a school and hospital are struck in the Ukrainian city of Sumy

- ANDY GREGORY

Dozens of Ukrainians were injured after a school and hospital were hit in a Russian missile attack, officials said, as US-led ceasefire talks continued in Saudi Arabia.

As the delegations met in Riyadh, at least 74 people including 13 children were wounded yesterday as a Russian missile strike inflicted heavy damage on a hospital, a school and a residential area in the Ukrainian city of Sumy, regional governor Volodymyr Artiukh said.

Speaking from the scene, against a backdrop of thick black smoke, fires and damaged buildings and cars, Mr Artiukh said the schoolchildren had been in a shelter at the time. Several high-rise flats in the city centre were also damaged, he said.

The previous night, Ukraine’s delegation described its talks with US officials – in what marked the first such parallel talks in three years – as “constructive and meaningful”. Kyiv officials said yesterday they would remain in Riyadh and expected to meet again with the Americans.

As Russian and US officials met yesterday morning, Moscow’s negotiator Grigory Karasin said talks were proceeding in a “creative way”, telling state news agency Interfax that the US and Russian delegations “understand each other’s views”.

It came as