Drone strike ignites fire at Sumy shopping centre in northeastern Ukraine

A home‑improvement shopping centre in the Ukrainian city of Sumy was engulfed in flames on Saturday after a reported Russian first‑person‑view (FPV) drone strike. Local authorities said the unmanned aerial vehicle hit the complex in the early afternoon, igniting a fire that quickly spread across the building’s roof and interior sections. Emergency services dispatched multiple fire‑fighting units to the scene, and crews worked throughout the evening to contain the blaze and prevent it from reaching adjacent structures.

Preliminary assessments indicated no immediate civilian casualties, though several individuals were evacuated from the premises as a precaution. The incident follows a series of recent attacks in the region that have targeted civilian infrastructure, underscoring the heightened security concerns in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian officials condemned the strike and vowed to investigate the circumstances surrounding the drone’s deployment, while reconstruction efforts for the damaged commercial property are expected to commence once the site is declared safe.