The Russian army massively attacked Sumy, there were up to ten explosions in the city, there are wounded; two Kyiv police officers were declared suspicious due to actions during a terrorist act in the Holosiivskyi district; the president reacted to the escape of police officers during a shooting in Kyiv; Zelenskyy commented on the possible visit of Witkoff and Kushner to Ukraine; the Defense Forces denied the Russian Federation's statement about the capture of the village of Zybyny in the Kharkiv region – Suspilne collected the main news on the morning of April 21.
Attack on Sumy
On the night of April 21, the Russian army attacked Sumy with drones. Up to ten explosions were heard in the city, at least six people were injured, including a 17-year-old child. Houses, cars, and a medical facility were damaged.
Explosions were heard in Sumy after 01:20. More than five hits were recorded in one of the residential areas in the Zarechny district of the city, said the secretary of the city council Artem Kobzar. The UAV hit the residential sector. High-rise buildings and cars were damaged. Another UAV hit the territory of a medical institution, said the head of the OVA Oleg Grigorov.
Terrorist attack in Holosiivskyi district: police were informed of the suspicion
Two officers of the Kyiv patrol police have been charged with negligence with grave consequences for their actions during a terrorist attack in the Holosiivskyi district. Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko reported.
According to the investigation, the patrol crew arrived at the scene of a shooting. At the scene, they saw injured people: a child, a man and a woman, who needed emergency medical care. There were other people nearby, including another child.
“Instead, the patrol crew, having a service firearm with them and all the legal grounds for its use, actually flees the scene,” Kravchenko emphasizes.
According to him, due to the inaction of police officers, the armed man continued to move unhindered along the street and shoot at passersby.
“From 4:35 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on April 18, six people were killed in Kyiv. Unfortunately, today another man died in the hospital from his injuries, becoming the seventh victim of the terrorist attack,” the Prosecutor General added.
Two patrol police officers have been charged with official negligence, which resulted in serious consequences – death of people (Part 3 of Article 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The sanction of the article provides for up to eight years of imprisonment. Investigators have filed a motion to select a preventive measure – detention, the State Bureau of Investigation added.
Context: On April 18, a man opened fire on passersby in the Holosiivskyi district, then burst into a supermarket, where he held those present hostage. The attacker was eliminated during the storming of the store. The shooting left six people dead and 14 injured, including a child. Another person later died in the hospital. The SBU qualifies the shooting of civilians as a terrorist act.
Zelenskyy reacted to the escape of police officers during the shooting in Kyiv
Zelenskyy commented on the presentation of suspicions to two patrol police officers who failed to protect people during an armed attack on Saturday in Kyiv.
“The patrol officers should have done everything to stop the murderer. But they escaped. There must be accountability. I hope that the next procedural steps regarding them will not be delayed,” the president explained.
Zelensky noted that law enforcement officers should have done everything possible to protect citizens in a critical situation. In addition, the president initiated a complete review of internal processes within the police structure. This applies to all response protocols, personnel training rules, and rules for using weapons to protect people.
According to Zelensky, such systemic changes are necessary to ensure that similar incidents do not occur again and that security is guaranteed for every citizen.
Zelenskyy on the visits of Witkoff and Kushner
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented on the possible visit of US Special Representative Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner to Ukraine. He did this during an interview with the “United News” telethon.
According to him, their visit is more needed by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who represent the US in trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, America, and Russia.
Zelensky noted that the Ukrainian side is ready for meetings in any format and place, because the main thing is the result. He emphasized that contacts are currently continuing by telephone, but the main problem is Russia's unwillingness to end the war.
“In a format that can be finished as quickly as possible today. This means finishing where the contact line (of the front — ed.) is the fastest format to stop, as the Americans say, stop the killing. This is the fastest format to stop the killing. And all serious people need to play this format. Not play their own game, sorry, but have the same understanding,” the president said.
The President noted that diplomatic steps should be taken after a complete and long-term ceasefire is adopted. Zelensky also warned that the demand for Ukraine to withdraw from Donbas is unacceptable and strategically dangerous.
Context: On April 14, Zelenskyy announced that special envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner plan to visit Ukraine.
“A settlement on credit.” The Defense Forces denied the Russian Federation's statement about the capture of Zybyny in the Kharkiv region.
Despite the Russian Ministry of Defense's statement on April 17 about the occupation of the village of Zybyny, Volchansk community, the Russian military has not established control over the settlement. This was reported by the 16th Army Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on April 20.
“The enemy continues to use the so-called “settlement on credit” tactic – announcing the capture of settlements without actually establishing control over them. In Russian online publications, as part of declaring successes in the Kharkiv direction, information was disseminated about the capture of the settlement of Zybyne, which does not correspond to the actual state of the operational situation in the direction,” the report says.
According to the corps, the Russian Federation is continuing its assault operations and is trying to expand the “controlled zone.” The corps also reported the defeat of Russian forces.
“The advance of the enemy assault groups was detected in advance and defeated. The enemy's losses amounted to 8 irretrievable, 4 medical vehicles and 1 ATV,” the post says.