Russian shelling on Sumy: 35 civilians dead, including students
Daria Loboda and Svitlana Shtepа were killed during the shelling of the city of Sumy, which was carried out by the Russian army on Palm Sunday. A total of 35 people died. "Eternal memory to the victims... Let's remember who the enemy is. Let's remember what we are fighting for," appealed the rector of the university, whose students died in the attack.
Key information
- 35 civilians died as a result of the shelling of the city of Sumy.
- Among the victims of the attack were, among others, two medical students from Sumy Medical University - Daria Loboda and Svitlana Shtepа.
- Ukrainian forces attacked the 448th missile brigade in the Kursk region. It was a response to the Russian attack.
Russian attack on Sumy. Two students among the victims
As a result of the Russian attack on Sumy, 35 civilians were killed, including two children, and 117 people were injured. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sharply criticised the attack.
According to Novaya Gazeta, two students were among the victims. Daria Loboda and Svitlana Shtepа were studying in the medical faculty at Sumy State University.
"Building K2 is severely damaged, the SumDU Congress Centre destroyed. This is the heart of the city, an educational and cultural space, a place for artistic events, forums, conferences... The lives of the city's residents were cynically taken by Russia today. Among them – two students from our medical institute. Eternal memory to the victims... Let's remember who the enemy is. Let's remember what we are fighting for. We will rebuild everything. We are stronger!" wrote Rector Vasyl Karpusha about the destruction at the university and the victims of the attack.
Ukrainian response to Russian attack
In response to the Russian shelling, Ukrainian defence forces carried out an attack on the permanent station of the 448th missile brigade of the Russian army in the Kursk region. This brigade was responsible for the missile attack on the city of Sumy, which took place on Palm Sunday.
The Ukrainian attack resulted in the secondary detonation of ammunition at the brigade's station. The effects of this strike are currently being verified. Ukrainian forces emphasise that every Russian unit involved in attacks on civilians will be identified and will face retaliation.
Ukrainian actions were coordinated with the Unmanned Systems Forces, Special Operations Forces, and the Security Service of Ukraine. This attack is part of a broader strategy of targeted strikes on important military objectives of the Russian invaders.
The Russian Ministry of Defence reported a massive attack by Ukrainian drones on the Kursk region, resulting in the destruction of 115 drones. This information was confirmed by the Ukrainian Centre for Countering Disinformation.
