Russia attacked the center of Sumy city in northern Ukraine with ballistic missiles and aerial bombs on Palm Sunday, causing the death of at least 32 people.
The death toll is constantly changing as rescue operations continue amid the destruction of residential areas and public spaces. 117 people have been injured, including 15 children.
The missiles struck near the church when dozens of faithful had gathered to attend Palm Sunday liturgy. In the shocking images, people, many of them elderly, are seen running in panic to take cover, while several are swept away by the blast waves of the explosions.
@realDonaldTrump this has been happening in Ukraine for years now. There should be no negotiations with the terrorists attacking democracies. Sumi, Ukraine, today. The USA has always been a Leader of the Free World. #timetoact pic.twitter.com/nfFVbR8NVR
— Oleksii Morgun (@MrMorgun) April 13, 2025
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack, which is one of the deadliest attacks against Ukraine this year, and called for a strong international response against Moscow.
“Only villains can act in this way, taking the lives of ordinary people,” Zelensky stated on social media along with a chilling video showing bodies on the ground, a destroyed bus, and burned cars in the middle of a central street.
Жахливий удар російської балістики по Сумах. Ворожі ракети вдарили по звичайній міській вулиці, по звичайному життю: будинки, освітні заклади, машини на вулиці… І це в день, коли люди йдуть до церков: Вербна неділя, свято Входу Господнього в Єрусалим.
За попередніми даними,… pic.twitter.com/bhevMqTygP
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 13, 2025
Antonio Costa denounces Russia’s “criminal” missile attack on Sumy and emphasizes that the war in Ukraine continues only because Russia chooses it
The President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, declares he is “outraged” by Russia’s “criminal” missile attack on the center of Sumy city.
In his message on “X,” Antonio Costa emphasizes that “Russia continues its campaign of violence, showing once again that this war exists and continues only because Russia chooses it.” He also stresses that “those responsible for these attacks must be held accountable before justice.”
I’m outraged by Russia’s criminal missile attack on the city centre of Sumy.
Russia continues its campaign of violence, showing once again that this war exists and endures only because Russia chooses so.
My heart goes out to the victims, their families, and all those affected…
— António Costa (@eucopresident) April 13, 2025
The Russian Federation has carried out similar actions before, for example, during the missile strike on the Amstor shopping center in Kremenchuk on June 27, 2022, which killed more than 20 people, and the shelling of the train station in Kramatorsk on April 8, 2022, which claimed the lives of 61 civilians.
Ukrainian sources underline that the attack on Sumy once again proves that Russia is not interested in peace, but on the contrary, is systematically destroying civilian infrastructure and civilians in order to break the spirit of Ukrainians.
Even at a time when the international community is calling for a diplomatic settlement, Russia continues to escalate, using ballistic missiles and aerial bombs against Ukrainian cities. These actions are aimed not only at physical destruction, but also at creating an atmosphere of fear.
Δείτε αυτή τη δημοσίευση στο Instagram.
These attacks were also carried out in crowded places during the day, which indicates the systematic nature of such crimes.
The strikes on densely populated areas during the day, when people were in markets, shops, or just on the streets, demonstrate that Russia is deliberately targeting civilians, seeking to maximize casualties and intimidate Ukrainians.
The same sources say that “the international community must increase pressure on Russia through new sanctions, isolation, and comprehensive support for Ukraine to stop its war crimes. Silence or inaction only encourages the aggressor. It is urgent to provide Ukraine with modern air defense systems”.
