Russian strikes on Ukrainian city of Sumy kill 34 as residents attended Palm Sunday service (photos/video)
Russian ballistic missiles struck the center of the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy on Sunday, April 13, killing at least 34 people and injuring 117 others in what Ukrainian officials described as the deadliest attack of the war this year.
The strikes occurred as residents attended Palm Sunday services, one of the busiest church-going days of the year.
Among those killed were two children. The missiles hit densely populated areas, damaging residential buildings, cafes, shops, and a university.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said one missile struck a university building, while another exploded over a city street.
“It was a deliberate act of terror,†Zelensky said. “Without pressure on the aggressor, peace is impossible. Talking has never stopped ballistic missiles and bombs. We need to treat Russia as a terrorist deserves.â€
Ukrainian authorities said preliminary evidence suggests cluster munitions were usedâ€"devices that release multiple explosives over a wide area, often causing indiscriminate casualties. The head of Sumy’s military administration said one of the missiles exploded mid-air to maximize civilian harm.
The attack prompted swift condemnation from Ukraine’s allies.
Keith Kellogg, the Trump administration’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, called the strike “a crossing of any line of decency.†Former U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One, called the attack “terrible†and claimed he was told Russia had “made a mistake,†though he did not elaborate further.
French President, Emmanuel Macron called for “strong measures†to impose a ceasefire, while the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, described the incident as “a horrific example of Russia intensifying attacks despite Ukraine accepting an unconditional ceasefire.â€
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio extended condolences, calling the strike “horrifying.â€
Zelensky, speaking to 60 Minutes, criticized what he described as the growing acceptance of Russian narratives in U.S. politics.
“How is it possible to witness our losses and suffering, to understand what the Russians are doing, and to still believe they are not the aggressors?†he said.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of devastation. Natalia Pihul, a 52-year-old Sumy resident, said her mother was injured when a cupboard fell during the blast. Glass, debris, and broken furniture filled her mother’s apartment.
Footage from the aftermath showed burned vehicles, shattered windows, and emergency responders covering bodies with blankets. In one video, a trolleybus hit by the strike appeared to have several bodies inside. Most of its passengers were reportedly killed.
Sumy resident, Iryna Pryykhodko told Reuters that the second explosion was more powerful than the first. “It was all covered with smoke. I couldn’t see anything,†she said.
Among the victims were Olena Kohut, an artist with the Sumy National Theatre’s orchestra, and Liudmyla Hordiienko, a deputy head in the regional tax service.
In total, 20 buildings were damaged in the attack. Of the injured, 68 were hospitalized, with eight in serious condition.
The United Nations’ humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, condemned the strikes “in the strongest possible terms,†noting that international law strictly prohibits attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Russia has increased airstrikes in the Sumy region in recent weeks, pushing Ukrainian forces out of nearby areas in the Russian Kursk region and occupying small settlements near the border.
In the last 24 hours, additional Russian attacks in Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Kherson have killed eight people and wounded at least 18 more.
Zelensky urged the international community to take decisive action to stop further bloodshed. “Peace will not come through appeasement,†he said. “It will only come through strength, unity, and justice.â€
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