A Russian ballistic missile strike killed 34 people and injured 117 others in the northern Ukrainian city of Sumy on Sunday. The attack, which is the deadliest since September 2024, has left a trail of destruction, with bodies strewn about the streets and buildings damaged.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy demanded a tough international response to Moscow’s actions, calling the strike “Russian terrorism.” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, British Prime Minister, Italian Prime Minister, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio have all condemned the attack.
The strike came after Trump envoy held talks with Putin in US push to end war. Ukraine says Russia used cluster munitions, deliberately hit civilians. The leaders of Britain, Germany and Italy condemned the attack, saying it shows what Russia’s supposed readiness for peace is worth.
Russian authorities have yet to comment on the deadliest strike since September 2024. Sumy, with a population of around a quarter of a million, has become a garrison city as Kyiv’s forces launched an incursion into Russia in August that has since been largely repelled.
The attack follows a missile strike in central Ukrainian city Kryvyi Rih earlier this month that killed 20 people. The conflict has seen thousands of civilians killed and injured, with both sides accusing each other of targeting civilians.
Ukraine’s acting mayor announced three days of mourning for the victims starting from Monday. International Criminal Court is conducting investigations into high-profile cases of alleged war crimes in the conflict. Ukraine and Russia agreed to pause strikes on energy facilities last month but have repeatedly accused each other of breaking the moratorium.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/mayor-ukraines-sumy-says-over-20-dead-russian-missile-strike-2025-04-13