Sweden summons Russian ambassador over deadly strikes in Ukraine

ISTANBUL

Sweden summoned Russian Ambassador Sergey Belyaev on Tuesday to denounce Russia's recent missile attacks on the Ukrainian cities of Sumy and Kryvyi Rih and to call for an end to the war, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Belyaev was summoned after Russia claimed to have carried out deadly strikes on Ukrainian military command sites, killing dozens.

“Today we summoned Russia’s Ambassador to Sweden in view of Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine and attacks on Ukrainian cities and civilians. These are not the acts of a country that seeks peace,” said Sweden’s Foreign Minister Maria Stenergard.

She urged Moscow to end the war, saying: "The Swedish Government calls on Russia to immediately withdraw all of its troops from Ukrainian territory. The Swedish government wants a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and will continue to support it for as long as necessary."

Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that its forces launched an Iskander-M missile strike in Sumy on Sunday, targeting a meeting of Ukrainian military commanders. A similar attack was reported in Kryvyi Rih on Ukrainian officers and Western military instructors.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's State Emergency Service reported that at least 35 civilians were killed and 117 injured in the Sumy strike, with 19 killed in Kryvyi Rih.