A Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy on Sunday claimed the lives of at least 34 people, according to Ukrainian authorities, in what has become one of the deadliest attacks in recent months. Two ballistic missiles hit the city center in the morning, not far from the Russian border.
The blasts triggered chaos as residents fled amid flames and smoke, with burning vehicles and bodies scattered across the streets. Emergency services reported that among the 34 fatalities were two children, and 117 others were injured—including 15 children. Eight of the 68 people hospitalized are in critical condition.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack in his evening address, underscoring that it occurred on Palm Sunday, a significant Christian holiday. “Only completely deranged scum can do something like this,” he said.
Zelensky detailed the damage: the strikes hit a university and caused destruction to five apartment buildings, local cafes, shops, and the district court. In total, 20 buildings were affected.
The United Nations expressed deep concern, with Secretary-General António Guterres “deeply alarmed and shocked” by the attack. His spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, noted the strike as part of a “devastating pattern of similar assaults on Ukrainian cities and towns in recent weeks.”
From aboard Air Force One, U.S. President Donald Trump described the attack as “a horrible thing.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it “horrifying” and a “tragic reminder of why President Trump and his administration are putting so much time and effort into trying to end this war and achieve durable peace.”
