Ukrainian officials said Sunday that a Russian missile strike on the northeastern city of Sumy killed “many” civilians, as the region faces escalating attacks from Moscow’s forces.

Artem Kobzar, the acting mayor of Sumy, announced the casualties on social media, stating, “Many dead today as a result of a missile strike,” and accusing Russian forces of targeting civilians once again.

Sumy, located about 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the Russian border, has come under increasing pressure in recent weeks. Russian forces have intensified their operations after pushing Ukrainian troops back across the border from Russia’s Kursk region.

Unverified images shared online showed charred vehicles and plumes of smoke rising from the strike zone.

Kyiv has warned for weeks that Sumy could be the focus of a new Russian offensive. Last month, Moscow claimed to have captured a village in the Sumy region — the first reported gain there since the early days of the 2022 invasion.