The Russian attack on Sumy overnight on 17 July damaged the office and studio of the local news website Kordon.Media, executive director Alyona Yatsyna reported to Olha Panfilova, the Institute of Mass Information representative in Sumy oblast.
The Russian forces struck the city with five guided aerial bombs.
Yatsyna says that one window in the office burst. Another double-glazed window survived thanks to the armored film, but the blast wave tore out the frame fasteners, so the window has to be replaced. The shock wave also tore out the anchors of the entrance door to the office and the studio door.
Inside, some plaster has flaked off the walls and some things have fallen down. The editorial equipment survived, only the printer having suffered minor damage.
“We feel the most sorry for our office cat Odin. He is 11 years old, he was very scared. The KAB-500 exploded about 100 meters away from the office, so the explosion was extremely powerful. The cat is very stressed now,” said Alyona Yatsyna.
The Kordon.Media team is addressing the impact of the strike on their own. The staff have already cleaned the premises, replaced the furniture, and are working to restore the entrance door and replace the damaged windows as soon as possible.
“So far, we have been able to cover the costs with our own editorial fund, but the constant shelling and the growing extent of the damage has meant that these resources have been rapidly depleting in recent weeks. That is why we are already thinking about including the emergency fund costs in grant applications, if possible, or looking for additional funding specifically for post-strike recovery and ensuring the team operates without interruption,” said Alyona Yatsyna.
As previously reported, Russian strikes at civilian infrastructure in Sumy blasted out the windows in Kordon.Media office eight times in late 2025.