Russian Missile Strikes on Palm Sunday Kill 34 in Sumy, Ukraine’s Deadliest Attack of the Year
- Victor Nwoko
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
At least 34 people were killed and 117 wounded when Russian ballistic missiles struck the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy during Palm Sunday church services, marking the deadliest single attack on civilians in Ukraine this year. Among the victims were two children, and eight of the wounded remain in critical condition, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service.
The missiles hit central Sumy, including a university building and a city street, at a time when large numbers of residents were attending church. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that ballistic missiles were used in the attack and described it as an intentional act of terror. One of the missiles exploded mid-air above a populated street, while the second struck approximately 200 meters away, causing devastation across residential buildings, shops, cafes, and the district court.
Footage from the aftermath revealed bodies covered in emergency blankets, blown-out windows, charred vehicles, and buildings reduced to rubble. Inside homes, personal belongings were scattered, and glass shards were strewn across kitchens and living rooms.
Local resident Natalia Pihul described how her mother was injured while cooking lunch in their apartment. A cupboard fell during the blast, cutting her mother’s head. “Where is a military base here? Where is it? Please have a look. A woman lived here. Look at this! How is this even possible? It is unacceptable,” she said.
Ukrainian officials stated that preliminary evidence suggests cluster munitions were used. These munitions release multiple smaller explosives over a wide area, increasing the potential for civilian casualties. Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian president’s office, called the strike a deliberate targeting of civilians and accused Russia of using cluster bombs to maximize the death toll.
The missiles struck during a busy part of the day when the city center was full of people. Volodymyr Artyukh, head of Sumy’s military administration, said the attack appeared timed to inflict the highest possible number of civilian casualties. The second blast, believed to have dispersed cluster munitions mid-air, resulted in the majority of the fatalities. Among those killed were Olena Kohut, a musician with the Sumy National Theatre, and Liudmyla Hordiienko, a deputy official in the regional tax office.
Residents reported experiencing two massive blasts, the second one stronger than the first. Iryna Pryykhodko said the initial explosion shattered windows in her building, and after taking shelter indoors, the second strike engulfed the area in smoke and chaos. “I could not see anything,” she recalled.
Emergency video footage showed people running for safety as sirens blared, while others lay injured on the ground. Body bags were seen next to a destroyed trolleybus, inside which most passengers were reportedly killed.
President Zelensky called for a global response to the attack, urging international leaders to pressure Russia into ending the war. “Russia wants exactly this kind of terror and is dragging out this war. Without pressure on the aggressor, peace is impossible. Talking has never stopped ballistic missiles and bombs,” he said. He also reiterated Ukraine’s commitment to a previously proposed 30-day ceasefire, which Russia declined.
International condemnation of the attack followed swiftly. The UN’s humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, condemned the strike in the strongest terms, emphasizing that attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are strictly prohibited under international law.
European leaders joined in denouncing the assault. Kaja Kallas described it as a horrific example of Russia escalating violence despite Ukraine’s acceptance of a ceasefire proposal. French President Emmanuel Macron called for immediate, strong measures to enforce peace.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to end the conflict continue. President Donald Trump referenced ongoing negotiations, stating, “I think Ukraine-Russia might be going OK. And you’re going to be finding out pretty soon. There’s a point at which you have to either put up or shut up.”
Russian attacks on other Ukrainian regions in the past 24 hours — including Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Kherson — killed an additional eight people and injured at least 18. The Sumy region, bordering Russia’s Kursk oblast, has come under intensified missile strikes in recent weeks, with Russian forces also occupying small settlements just across the border.
The Sumy attack also stands as the worst single assault on civilians in Ukraine since the October 2023 strike on Kupiansk, which claimed 51 lives.
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