Kyiv, Ukraine — More than 30 people were killed and over 80 injured when Russian ballistic missiles struck the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy on Palm Sunday, marking one of the deadliest attacks in recent weeks.
“As of now, 31 people are known to have been killed in Sumy by the Russian ballistic missile strike. Among those killed were two children,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X.
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Expressing condolences to the families, Zelenskyy said at least 84 people have been wounded, including 10 children.
The president condemned the attack, urging the world not to stay silent or indifferent.
“Russian strikes deserve nothing but condemnation. There must be pressure on Russia to end the war and guarantee security for people. Without truly strong pressure, without sufficient support for Ukraine, Russia will continue dragging this war out.”
Zelenskyy recalled how Putin has been ignoring the US proposal for a full and unconditional ceasefire initiated by President Donald Trump.
“Unfortunately, Moscow remains convinced it can continue killing with impunity. Action must be taken to put an end to this,” said Ukrainian officials, urging the international community to respond to the latest deadly assault.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko confirmed that the casualties from the Russian missile strike occurred in residential areas. “People were injured in the street, inside vehicles, on public transport, and within their own homes,” he stated.
According to Volodymyr Artiukh, head of the Sumy Regional Military Administration, the city center was struck by two ballistic missiles, launched by Russian forces.
Emergency crews and forensic teams remained at the site, conducting rescue operations and gathering evidence. Authorities described the attack as “a brutal war crime committed by the Russian Federation against civilians.”
“On this bright Palm Sunday, our community suffered a terrible tragedy. The enemy launched a missile attack on civilians,” Sumy’s acting mayor, Artem Kobzar, wrote on Telegram.
Palm Sunday is widely observed in Ukraine, with many residents attending church services.
Moscow intensifies offensive The attack comes amid a renewed Russian spring offensive targeting Ukraine’s northeastern regions, including Sumy and neighboring Kharkiv.
Sumy shares a border with Russia’s Kursk province, where Ukrainian forces advanced in August 2024.
On Apr. 9, Ukraine’s military chief, Oleksandr Sirski, said Russia had intensified operations in the area.
According to Zelenskyy, more than 67,000 Russian troops are now positioned in the Kursk direction, signaling a full-scale buildup for an attack on Sumy.
The escalation comes as the United States attempts to broker a ceasefire between the two sides. While Kyiv accepted a proposed 30-day truce a month ago, Moscow has refused, and partial agreements on maritime and energy ceasefires have so far failed to hold.
The deadly strike in Sumy occurred just a day after President Trump struck an optimistic tone on the conflict.
“I think Ukraine-Russia might be going OK, and you are going to be finding out pretty soon,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One.
“There’s a point at which you just have to either put up or shut up, and we will see what happens, but I think it’s going fine.”
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