Latest news with #MargarytaHusakova
Straits Times
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Residents weigh their chances as Russian troops approach Ukrainian city
Margaryta Husakova, 37, mother of eight children, who fled the Ukrainian town of Bilopilia, sits next to her children and other refugees outside a refugee centre, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Sumy, Ukraine June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova Residents walk at a street near a building damaged by Russian missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Sumy, Ukraine June 13, 2025. REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova A resident walks at a street near a building damaged by Russian missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Sumy, Ukraine June 13, 2025. REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova SUMY, Ukraine - Vladyslav Solomko, a 29-year-old French language tutor, is having trouble convincing his parents it would be better not to be in their home in Sumy if rapidly-advancing Russian forces capture the northeastern Ukrainian city. "I keep asking them to leave," Solomko said on Friday, standing in front of a concrete air raid shelter that had been installed in the street to protect people from Russian drone and missile attacks that have grown in intensity. For now, he said, his parents are not budging. But he added: "If the situation gets worse, there is no discussion: we will have to leave." Sumy, a city of around 250,000 people, is located just 25 kilometres (15 miles) from the border with Russia. It was briefly encircled by Russian forces at the start of 2022 when they launched their full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian forces soon pulled out and since then, despite its proximity to the border, Sumy has been relatively quiet, as the focus of the Russian fighting has been further east and south in areas Moscow claims as its own without having full control. However, that changed earlier this year when Russian forces pushed across the Ukraine-Russian border. Since the start of June, their advance has accelerated. Displaced people from outlying villages have been given refuge in public buildings. The Russian advance also means the city is now within range of their artillery. On June 3, four people were killed and nearly 30 were injured when a Russian short-range battlefield rocket landed in the centre of Sumy. Olha Kalchenko, a 29-year-old on maternity leave from her job as an accountant, said the question of whether to stay or leave was now a major topic of debate among her social circle. "It is a bit scary," she said as she pushed her seven-month-old daughter, Oleksandra, in a stroller. "Yes, there are thoughts about leaving but there is nowhere to go, so we stay here." she said. "As long as they (Russian troops) are still a bit further away, it is still ok to live here. But if they get closer we will start thinking and planning to leave, that's for sure. At least me and the baby." But another resident, Sergiy Petrakov, 63, said he would stay put in Sumy, even if Russian forces reached the city limits. He said he trusted Ukraine's armed forces to push back the Russian advance, and would be willing to help build barricades and man checkpoints, adding: "We shall overcome, I think." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Reuters
a day ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Ukrainian refugees in Sumy fear Russian advance, shelling
SUMY, Ukraine, June 12 (Reuters) - Margaryta Husakova, her broken arm secured in a metal orthopedic fixation device, smoked nervously as she sat on the staircase of a refugee shelter in Sumy, a city in northern Ukraine, contemplating what the future holds. In May, Husakova, 37, a mother of eight, lost her mother, sister, and uncle in a Russian drone attack on a van near the town of Bilopillia, west of Sumy. Nine people died in total and Husakova was among the five wounded. "A man pulled me out of the bus, emergency services arrived, and I was sitting there on the grass," she said. Despite talk of peace, the war is creeping closer to Sumy, a regional capital of 250,000 people, located just 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the border with Russia. After the bus attack, Husakova and her family fled their native town Bilopillia, now a target of Russian artillery, and sought shelter at a refugee centre in Sumy. "What's next? We're sitting here, but if they offer us somewhere else, we'll go with the children," she said. Her father, Vyacheslav, expressed worry about the future. "I don't know what's next … the most important thing for me is to take the children away, because katsapy will come to Sumy too,' he said, using a pejorative term for Russians. Russia, which controls just under one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, has seized over 190 square kilometres (73 square miles) of the Sumy region in less than a month, according to pro-Ukrainian open-source maps. Russian troops have captured more ground in the past days, advancing to around 20 kilometres from Sumy's northern suburbs, bringing the city closer to being within the range of long-range artillery and drones. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, speaking in his nightly video address on Thursday, said Ukrainian forces were "gradually pushing back" Russian soldiers in the region, but offered no details. The number of displaced people arriving in Sumy is increasing, said Kateryna Arisoi, head of Pluriton, a non-governmental organization that operates the shelter for internally displaced people. 'We are seeing the frontline slowly moving toward Sumy,' she said. "So far evacuation has been ordered in more than 200 settlements." Last week, a Russian rocket attack on Sumy killed three people and injured 28, including three children, while also damaging several buildings. Both Russia and Ukraine deny targeting civilians in their attacks, but thousands of civilians have died in the three-year-long conflict, the vast majority of them Ukrainian.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukrainian refugees in Sumy fear Russian advance, shelling
SUMY (Reuters) -Margaryta Husakova, her broken arm secured in a metal orthopedic fixation device, smoked nervously as she sat on the staircase of a refugee shelter in Sumy, a city in northern Ukraine, contemplating what the future holds. In May, Husakova, 37, a mother of eight, lost her mother, sister, and uncle in a Russian drone attack on a van near the town of Bilopillia, west of Sumy. Nine people died in total and Husakova was among the five wounded. 'A man pulled me out of the bus, emergency services arrived, and I was sitting there on the grass,' she said. Despite talk of peace, the war is creeping closer to Sumy, a regional capital of 250,000 people, located just 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the border with Russia. After the bus attack, Husakova and her family fled their native town Bilopillia, now a target of Russian artillery, and sought shelter at a refugee center in Sumy. 'What's next? We're sitting here, but if they offer us somewhere else, we'll go with the children,' she said. Her father, Vyacheslav, expressed worry about the future. 'I don't know what's next … the most important thing for me is to take the children away, because katsapy will come to Sumy too,' he said, using a pejorative term for Russians. Russia, which controls just under one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, has seized over 190 square kilometers (73 square miles) of the Sumy region in less than a month, according to pro-Ukrainian open-source maps. Russian troops have captured more ground in the past days, advancing to around 20 kilometers from Sumy's northern suburbs, bringing the city closer to being within the range of long-range artillery and drones. The number of displaced people arriving in Sumy is increasing, said Kateryna Arisoi, head of Pluriton, a non-governmental organization that operates the shelter for internally displaced people. 'We are seeing the frontline slowly moving toward Sumy,' she said. "So far evacuation has been ordered in more than 200 settlements." Last week, a Russian rocket attack on Sumy killed three people and injured 28, including three children, while also damaging several buildings. Both Russia and Ukraine deny targeting civilians in their attacks, but thousands of civilians have died in the three-year-long conflict, the vast majority of them Ukrainian.
The Star
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Ukrainian refugees in Sumy fear Russian advance, shelling
Margaryta Husakova, 37, mother of eight children, who fled the Ukrainian town of Bilopilia, sits with her children near a refugee centre, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Sumy, Ukraine June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova SUMY (Reuters) -Margaryta Husakova, her broken arm secured in a metal orthopedic fixation device, smoked nervously as she sat on the staircase of a refugee shelter in Sumy, a city in northern Ukraine, contemplating what the future holds. In May, Husakova, 37, a mother of eight, lost her mother, sister, and uncle in a Russian drone attack on a van near the town of Bilopillia, west of Sumy. Nine people died in total and Husakova was among the five wounded. 'A man pulled me out of the bus, emergency services arrived, and I was sitting there on the grass,' she said. Despite talk of peace, the war is creeping closer to Sumy, a regional capital of 250,000 people, located just 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the border with Russia. After the bus attack, Husakova and her family fled their native town Bilopillia, now a target of Russian artillery, and sought shelter at a refugee center in Sumy. 'What's next? We're sitting here, but if they offer us somewhere else, we'll go with the children,' she said. Her father, Vyacheslav, expressed worry about the future. 'I don't know what's next … the most important thing for me is to take the children away, because katsapy will come to Sumy too,' he said, using a pejorative term for Russians. Russia, which controls just under one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, has seized over 190 square kilometers (73 square miles) of the Sumy region in less than a month, according to pro-Ukrainian open-source maps. Russian troops have captured more ground in the past days, advancing to around 20 kilometers from Sumy's northern suburbs, bringing the city closer to being within the range of long-range artillery and drones. The number of displaced people arriving in Sumy is increasing, said Kateryna Arisoi, head of Pluriton, a non-governmental organization that operates the shelter for internally displaced people. 'We are seeing the frontline slowly moving toward Sumy,' she said. "So far evacuation has been ordered in more than 200 settlements." Last week, a Russian rocket attack on Sumy killed three people and injured 28, including three children, while also damaging several buildings. Both Russia and Ukraine deny targeting civilians in their attacks, but thousands of civilians have died in the three-year-long conflict, the vast majority of them Ukrainian. (Reporting by Vitaly Hnidyi; Writing by Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by Nia Williams)
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Ukrainian refugees in Sumy fear Russian advance, shelling
Margaryta Husakova, 37, mother of eight children, who fled the Ukrainian town of Bilopilia, sits next to her children and other refugees outside a refugee centre, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Sumy, Ukraine June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova Margaryta Husakova, 37, mother of eight children, who fled the Ukrainian town of Bilopilia, sits with her children at a refugee centre, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Sumy, Ukraine June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Margaryta Husakova, 37, mother of eight children, who fled the Ukrainian town of Bilopilia, sits with her children near a refugee centre, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Sumy, Ukraine June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova SUMY - Margaryta Husakova, her broken arm secured in a metal orthopedic fixation device, smoked nervously as she sat on the staircase of a refugee shelter in Sumy, a city in northern Ukraine, contemplating what the future holds. In May, Husakova, 37, a mother of eight, lost her mother, sister, and uncle in a Russian drone attack on a van near the town of Bilopillia, west of Sumy. Nine people died in total and Husakova was among the five wounded. 'A man pulled me out of the bus, emergency services arrived, and I was sitting there on the grass,' she said. Despite talk of peace, the war is creeping closer to Sumy, a regional capital of 250,000 people, located just 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the border with Russia. After the bus attack, Husakova and her family fled their native town Bilopillia, now a target of Russian artillery, and sought shelter at a refugee center in Sumy. 'What's next? We're sitting here, but if they offer us somewhere else, we'll go with the children,' she said. Her father, Vyacheslav, expressed worry about the future. 'I don't know what's next … the most important thing for me is to take the children away, because katsapy will come to Sumy too,' he said, using a pejorative term for Russians. Russia, which controls just under one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, has seized over 190 square kilometers (73 square miles) of the Sumy region in less than a month, according to pro-Ukrainian open-source maps. Russian troops have captured more ground in the past days, advancing to around 20 kilometers from Sumy's northern suburbs, bringing the city closer to being within the range of long-range artillery and drones. The number of displaced people arriving in Sumy is increasing, said Kateryna Arisoi, head of Pluriton, a non-governmental organization that operates the shelter for internally displaced people. 'We are seeing the frontline slowly moving toward Sumy,' she said. "So far evacuation has been ordered in more than 200 settlements." Last week, a Russian rocket attack on Sumy killed three people and injured 28, including three children, while also damaging several buildings. Both Russia and Ukraine deny targeting civilians in their attacks, but thousands of civilians have died in the three-year-long conflict, the vast majority of them Ukrainian. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
