On the night of September 10, 2026, the Russian armed forces struck the 'Manufaktura' shopping mall, located in the central part of Sumy, for a second time. According to Serhiy Kryvosheienko, head of the Sumy Military Administration, the occupiers used a reactive unmanned aerial vehicle, which triggered a fire inside the building. As of the morning of September 10, no information had been received about casualties from the second strike, although the extent of the building's damage is still being assessed.
Timeline of two attacks within 24 hours
The first strike on the 'Manufaktura' shopping mall was carried out on the evening of September 9. At that time, according to local authorities, three people were killed in the drone attack and a further 14 were injured — among the victims were three children, including a 16-year-old teenager. On the morning of September 10, the shopping mall's administration announced a temporary suspension of operations due to significant structural damage. The facility was closed for restoration work, and it was precisely at this moment, less than 24 hours after the first strike, that a repeat attack was carried out on the site.
Fire and cautious containment
The second impact caused a fire inside the shopping mall. According to available data, the fire is being contained with heightened caution: emergency services are taking into account the real threat of repeated strikes on the same area. Burnt-out cars in the parking area, damaged facades and advertising structures, and traces of water from the fire crews' work have been documented at the scene. The situation on site remains tense, and access to the facility is restricted.
Context: the strategy of repeated strikes
A repeat attack on a target that had already been hit and closed for repairs points to a tactic aimed at maximizing the destruction of infrastructure and exerting psychological pressure on the civilian population. The 'Manufaktura' shopping mall is one of the largest retail facilities in Sumy, and its repeated targeting deprives the city's residents of access to basic and commercial services amid the ongoing war. Local authorities are calling on residents to observe safety rules and avoid areas where repeated strikes are possible.
Contradictory data
At the time of publication, both versions — RBC-Ukraine and KP — showed no discrepancies in the key facts: both outlets confirm the fact of a repeat strike by a reactive drone, the fire inside the building, and the absence of confirmed casualties from the second impact. At the same time, the exact list of structural damage to the shopping mall and the final data on any possible hidden casualties had not yet been announced by either side at the time the material was prepared, leaving room for clarifications in subsequent statements by the Sumy Military Administration.
