A Russian missile strike on a Ukrainian army training facility killed at least 12 soldiers and wounded more than 60 others on Sunday, according to the Ukrainian military. The attack targeted a training unit location, with casualties confirmed by 12:50 p.m., the army said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Moscow claimed its forces had captured another village in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region, where Kyiv has warned of a potential large-scale cross-border offensive. Russia’s defense ministry said its troops had “liberated” Oleksiivka, a village roughly 7 kilometers from the Russian border.
More than 25,000 people have been forced to evacuate across three Canadian provinces as dozens of wildfires continued to burn Sunday, sending thick smoke into U.S. border states and worsening air quality, officials said.
Manitoba, which declared a state of emergency last week, has seen the largest exodus, with roughly 17,000 residents evacuated by Saturday. Another 8,000 people were relocated in Saskatchewan, while Alberta evacuated around 1,300 residents, according to provincial authorities.Officials warned the number of evacuees could rise as conditions remain volatile and containment efforts are hampered by dry weather and shifting winds.
Thick smoke from the fires is degrading air quality and reducing visibility across large parts of Canada and into several US states. Health officials on both sides of the border have urged residents to limit outdoor activity and wear masks where possible.“Air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke can fluctuate over short distances and can vary considerably from hour to hour,” Saskatchewan’s Public Safety Agency warned Sunday. “As smoke levels increase, health risks increase.”
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said ongoing hot, dry weather is allowing some fires to grow and threaten communities, and resources to fight the fires and support the evacuees are stretched thin.
