A Russian missile or artillery strike targeting a Ukrainian military base killed 70 soldiers in the town of Okhtyrka in eastern Ukraine, authorities in Kyiv confirmed Tuesday.
The Ukrainian parliament confirmed on Twitter that an army unit was fired upon in the town located in the region of Sumy, eponymous with the city that has been under Russian attack since the invasion began last Thursday.
Okhtyrka serves as an important junction between the capital Kyiv and the country's second-largest city, Kharkiv. Russian forces are currently fighting to take control of both cities, along with other key territories across the country.
The town also sits on the main road between Sumy and Poltava, one of the few major east-bank Ukraine cities that sits relatively far from the front line.
The deaths in Okhtyrka were also announced by Dmytro Zhyvytsky, head of Sumy's regional administration, who shared pictures on his Telegram channel of a burnt-out four-story building and rescue workers in action.
As Russia's invasion of Ukraine enters its sixth day, concerns are growing about the number of civilian casualties in the conflict, including in Kharkiv, which has come under intense attack in recent days.
Russia has denied targeting civilian areas despite rockets landing in residential neighborhoods. Ukraine says more than 350 civilians have been killed since Moscow launched the attack last week.
