Russian drone attack damages Sumy pedagogical university buildings and dormitory
Russian forces launched a massive drone attack on Sumy overnight on 23 October 2026, damaging four buildings of Sumy State Pedagogical University and a student dormitory, university First Vice-Rector Hanna Zaikina told public news broadcaster Suspilne. The attack blew out 220 windows in the buildings. University staff were unhurt as they managed to take shelter in time.
She said the Russian strike occurred at about 02:00. The university’s central building sustained the most severe damage, with the blast wave also damaging three other academic buildings and the dormitory.
At the time of the attack, university staff were at their workplaces but descended to the shelter in time, avoiding injuries.
Zaikina said students are currently studying mostly online, though the university has organised a blended learning format for certain majors.
Following the attack, the administration plans to adjust the schedule so that students do not remain in the damaged buildings while restoration work is under way.
Overall, overnight on 23 October, Russian forces attacked civilian infrastructure in three districts of Sumy. Strikes also hit petrol stations, a warehouse and residential buildings in the Kovpakivskyi District.
According to local authorities, two petrol station workers – a 39-year-old woman and a 54-year-old man – were injured in the shelling. They sustained minor injuries, received medical treatment and are currently at home.
Russian forces have repeatedly attacked higher education institutions in Ukraine.
Specifically, overnight on 21 October 2026, Russian strikes damaged at least three universities – in Uman, Kremenchuk and Kyiv.
In Uman, the blast wave blew out more than 100 windows in two student dormitories. In Kremenchuk, a Russian strike caused a fire in an academic building of a university, while in Kyiv it damaged a building of the Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture. However, two people were reported injured in the strike on the university in Kremenchuk: a 64-year-old security guard and a 16-year-old girl who was standing at a bus stop.
In addition, on 20 September, Russian forces hit the territory of Sumy State University with a guided aerial bomb. At that time, the blast wave damaged several buildings, blew out windows and doors, and damaged building facades.
According to data from the Ministry of Education and Science published on 22 October, Russian shelling has damaged 294 educational institutions in the Sumy Region (Oblast) since the start of the full-scale invasion, destroying another 33 completely.
Of these, 119 institutions have already been restored. Meanwhile, more than 72,000 schoolchildren, almost 17,000 pre-schoolers and over 38,000 students of vocational, professional pre-higher and higher education institutions continue to study in the region.
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