34 killed in Sumy in Russia’s deadliest attacks since 2023

Kyiv: Russia fired ballistic missiles into Sumy’s city center at 10:15 a.m. during Palm Sunday, today, killing 34 people, including two children, and injuring 117, among them 15 children, including a baby girl born in 2025.

The attack, the deadliest on civilians since 2023, struck homes, a university, and a trolleybus carrying passengers, damaging 51 buildings and 34 cars, including shops and a congress centre. Missiles, identified as Iskander-M or KN-23, possibly carried cluster munitions. Rescuers worked to save survivors as footage showed streets with bodies, smoke from cars, and a destroyed bus.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed those were two Russian ballistic missiles. The first hit a building – one of the university buildings. The second exploded right over the street. “Every Russian ballistic missile, every cruise missile, every Russian Shahed, every guided bomb strikes not only our people and our communities, but also diplomacy – and the political efforts of everyone trying to end this war,” he said. He stressed that only pressure and “decisive action can change this”. He noted that last Friday, April 11, 2025, marked exactly one month since Russia spurned the U.S. proposal for a full and unconditional ceasefire.

In Washington, the United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, described the Russian missile attacks on Sumy as a “tragic reminder of why [te US] President [Donald] Trump and his Administration are putting so much time and effort into trying to end this war and achieve a just and durable peace”.

Sumy, 25 kilometers from Russia’s border, serves as Ukraine’s northeastern outpost. Ukraine’s 2024 operation in Russia’s Kursk region, intended to disrupt supply lines, prompted Russia’s response, with Sumy as a target. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, elected in 2019, labeled the attack terrorism, noting residents carried willow branches for church services. “Missiles end talks. Russia acts as a terrorist,” he said, calling for action. Intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov, leader of Ukraine’s GUR since 2020, attributed the strike to Russia’s 112th and 448th missile brigades, operating from Voronezh and Kursk. Acting mayor Artem Kobzar, Sumy’s civic head, noted the attack’s impact on a religious day.

The attack aligns with prior incidents. A strike on Kryvyi Rih killed 19, including nine children, indicating Russia’s focus on civilian areas. Zelenskyy reports 67,000 Russian troops near Ukraine’s borders, preparing for a spring campaign. The Sumy attack reflects tensions in ceasefire talks. The United States, supporting Ukraine’s 30-day truce proposal, faced Russia’s rejection. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, appointed in 2024, countered Russia’s claim that Ukraine violated an energy strike agreement, citing Russia’s use of 70 missiles and 2,200 drones since the deal. Russia’s defense ministry issued no statement.

Sumy’s location shapes its role. Russia views Ukraine’s border cities as points to influence negotiations, especially with NATO considering Ukraine’s membership, a step opposed by President Vladimir Putin since Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea. The attack follows conflicts in Donbas, highlighting Russia’s reliance on force. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in office since 2019, described the attack as an act against civilians. U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg, appointed in 2025, said it crossed lines of conduct. French President Emmanuel Macron, elected in 2017, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in office since 2024, called for peace, with Macron proposing a restriction on civilian targets.

Uncertainty surrounds the target. Ukrainian MP Maryana Bezuhla, elected in 2019, mentioned a possible military presence, but resident Pavriz Manakhov, a civilian, stated the area contained homes and markets. Reuters found no evidence to support Bezuhla’s claim, documenting deaths of mothers, students, and commuters. The attack joins losses in Mariupol and Bucha, where civilians faced the consequences of the strategy.

The Sumy attack reveals a war in its fourth year, with negotiations stalled. Russia’s actions prioritize pressure over dialogue, positioning cities like Sumy as tools in a conflict. History records Ukraine’s response and Russia’s approach, counting lives lost on a day of worship.

– global bihari bureau