Russian missile strike devastates Sumy amidst Palm Sunday
The number of victims of the Russian shelling in the city of Sumy, Ukraine, continues to rise. According to the latest reports, two Iskander-M ballistic missiles killed at least 32 people. More than 84 were injured, including 10 children. NATO condemned the attack.
What do you need to know?
- Russian Iskander-M ballistic missiles struck the city of Sumy in Ukraine, killing at least 32 people and injuring more than 84, including 10 children.
- The attack took place on Sunday morning, as residents were returning from church on the occasion of Palm Sunday.
- NATO condemned the attack, and spokeswoman Allison Hart described the scenes from Sumy as gruesome.
The Russians attacked Sumy with two ballistic missiles on Sunday morning. The head of President Volodymyr Zelensky's office, Andriy Yermak, reported that they were equipped with cluster munitions.
According to the latest data from the Russian attack on the centre of Sumy, 32 people were killed, including two children. 84 people were injured, including 10 children.
The Russians attacked Sumy. Dozens killed
Yermak stated that the Russians employ cluster munition missiles with the intent to maximize civilian casualties, and described the strike on the city of Sumy as a calculated attack targeting civilians.
NATO spokeswoman Allison Hart reacted to the attack. "Horrific scenes from the center of Sumy where Russian ballistic missiles killed dozens and severely injured many more ordinary civilians. Our thoughts are with the Ukrainian people on what is a sacred day for so many," she wrote on the X portal.
Bodies on the streets. Dramatic photos from Sumy
The missiles struck the city centre at a time when residents were returning or going to church on the occasion of Palm Sunday, celebrated in Ukraine. Many people were walking along the boulevard downtown.
In the recordings published after the attack, bodies can be seen lying on the streets, burning vehicles, and destroyed buildings. Other footage shows a shattered trolleybus and people kneeling by covered bodies.
This was the second massive Russian attack targeted at civilians this month. On 4 April, a Russian ballistic missile killed 19 people, including nine children, in Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine. The twentieth victim died later in hospital.
The attack occurred just two days after Donald Trump's special envoy visited Moscow. Steve Witkoff met with dictator Vladimir Putin. As reported by the TASS agency, the discussion centered on efforts to improve ties between Moscow and Washington, along with specific aspects of finding a resolution to the situation in Ukraine.
