1 day ago
9
At least 20 people have been killed and dozens injured after a Russian ballistic missile strike in the Ukrainian city of Sumy as people were going to church for Palm Sunday.
Two missiles landed in the crowded city centre. One hit a trolley bus full of passengers. Footage from the scene shows bodies lying in the street, burning cars, and rescuers carrying bloodied survivors.
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said there were “dozens of dead and wounded civilians”. He accused Russia of carrying out an act of deliberate “terror” and said a “tough reaction” from the US, Europe and the world was needed.
“Enemy missiles hit an ordinary city street, ordinary life: houses, educational institutions, cars on the street … And this on a day when people go to church: Palm Sunday, the feast of the Lord’s Entry into Jerusalem,” he posted on social media.
Zelenskyy added: “Only a scoundrel can act like this. Taking the lives of ordinary people. Russia wants exactly this kind of terror and is dragging out this war. Without pressure on the aggressor, peace is impossible.”
Officials confirmed 83 people had been injured, including seven children.
The devastating Russian attack follows talks between Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Vladimir Putin on Friday in the Russian city of St Petersburg. Ukraine has agreed to a White House plan for a 30-day pause in the fighting.
Since the US proposal a month ago Russia has escalated its bombardment of Ukrainian cities. Nine children and nine adults were killed earlier this month when a Russian missile hit a children’s playground in the city of Kryvyi Rih.
Zelenskyy has been pressing allies to send another 10 Patriot air defence systems to protect Ukraine’s skies. In a briefing with journalists last week he said the Trump administration had recently sent additional systems to Israel, as tensions with Iran grow.
“Talks have never stopped ballistic missiles and air bombs. We need the kind of attitude towards Russia that a terrorist deserves,” Zelenskyy said on Sunday. “Thank you to everyone who is with Ukraine and helps us protect life.”
Sumy is 15 miles (25km) from the border with Russia and is a Ukrainian military hub. The missiles landed in a downtown civilian area where many people carrying willow branches for Palm Sunday were on their way to church.
Video from a car dashcam shows a flash of orange as one of the missiles struck. Plumes of grey smoke can be seen, as other vehicles reverse away from the danger and passersby run in panic.
According to Sumy’s prosecutor, the missiles “completely destroyed” the city’s human rights centre and several other buildings.
