Russian missile strike kills 34 in Palm Sunday attack on Ukraine’s Sumy

On Sunday, April 13, Russia launched a missile strike on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy, resulting in at least 34 deaths and over 100 injuries. The attack occurred around 10:20 am local time, coinciding with Palm Sunday celebrations, and is the deadliest assault on Ukrainian civilians this year.

Two Iskander-M ballistic missiles struck Sumy’s city center, targeting areas where civilians had gathered for religious services. Among the casualties was Olena Kohut, a renowned organist with the Sumy Regional Philharmonic Orchestra. The attack also destroyed multiple buildings and vehicles, including a trolleybus carrying passengers.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the strike as an act of terrorism and called for a strong international response. He invited former US President Donald Trump to come and witness the devastation firsthand. Global leaders, including those from Germany, Britain, and Italy, also condemned the attack, with some labeling it a war crime.

Trump, when asked about the Russian strike, said that it was “a horrible thing.”

“I was told they made a mistake,” he said without elaborating further. “But I think it’s a horrible thing.”

Dead bodies were strewn on the ground in the middle of a city street near a destroyed bus and burnt-out cars in a video Zelensky posted on social media.

“Only scoundrels can act like this, taking the lives of ordinary people,” Zelenskiy said, noting that the attack had come on Palm Sunday when some people were going to church.

German leaders said the attacks showed how Russian President Vladimir Putin responds to ceasefire proposals.

“These attacks show just what Russia’s supposed readiness for peace is worth,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz wrote on social media.

Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz told broadcaster ARD the attack on Sumy was “clearly a war crime … There is no greater example of perfidy: a targeted and planned war crime.”

This attack follows similar strikes in other Ukrainian cities, highlighting the continued escalation of the conflict despite ongoing international peace efforts. Sumy has declared three days of mourning in response to the tragedy.

Image: Ukrainian Emergency Service