Russian President Vladimir Putin commented on the recent strikes by Russian armed forces on targets in Ukraine, emphasizing that they were directed against military targets disguised as civilian infrastructure. In particular, he spoke about the missile strike on Sumy, where, according to him, an award ceremony was held for Ukrainian servicemen involved in the attacks on the Kursk region. In addition, Putin reported the liquidation of an agricultural hangar in the Odessa region, which was used to produce and test a new missile system. The statements made by the head of state on April 21, 2025, emphasize Russia's determination to suppress Ukraine's military activity covered by civilian objects.

According to Putin, the strike on Sumy was aimed at the congress center of Sumy State University, where the award ceremony of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) soldiers was taking place. These servicemen were involved in operations in the Kursk region, which the Russian authorities classify as crimes. He emphasized that the choice of the target was due to intelligence data indicating the use of the facility for military activities. A similar situation, according to Putin, developed in the Odessa region, where the UAF tried to organize the production and testing of a new missile system in a hangar, which was apparently intended for agricultural purposes. Russian troops, according to him, quickly launched an attack to prevent further development of the project, which poses a threat to Russia's security.

The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that the strike on Sumy was carried out on April 13, 2025, by two Iskander-M missiles and was aimed at a meeting of the command staff of the Seversk operational-tactical group. The department claims that more than 60 Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen were killed in the attack.