A Russian missile strike hit a crowded area in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy early Tuesday, March 25. The attack injured at least 88 people, including 17 children, as talks for a ceasefire continued.

Regional Governor Volodymyr Artiukh shared the latest casualty count on national TV. He said many children avoided injuries because they had been taken to air raid shelters before the strike.

“They were in a busy area that got hit. Two schools were affected. I was there when rescuers checked the locations. Thankfully, all the children were safe in protective shelters and were moved to a secure place,” Artiukh said.

The missile strike also damaged several high-rise apartment buildings in Sumy’s city center. Artiukh appeared in a video from the scene, showing thick black smoke, fires, and a damaged car with shattered windows.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke out against the attack in his video address, calling it another example of Ukraine’s suffering. Meanwhile, Russian and US officials met in Saudi Arabia to discuss a possible ceasefire.

Zelenskyy blamed Russia for continuing the war and causing pain to its people and the world.

“To make Russia stop, strong and decisive actions are needed. We support any effort that makes diplomacy more effective,” he said.