Russian missiles hit the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy in the deadliest attack this year, killing at least 24 people, including one child, as residents gathered for Sunday church services, local officials said.
At least 84 people, including seven children, have also been wounded in the strike on the city’s center, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, making it the worst single attack on Ukrainian civilians since 2023.
Last week, a Russian missile attack killed 20 people in the central city of Kryvyi Rih.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the deadly strikes were carried out by ballistic missiles and called for a “strong response from the world” in a statement.
“Russia wants exactly this kind of terror and is dragging out this war,” Zelensky said. “Without pressure on the aggressor, peace is impossible. Talking has never stopped ballistic missiles and bombs. We need to treat Russia as a terrorist deserves.”
The strikes hit the city center on Palm Sunday as residents were attending church services on one of the busiest church-going days of the year, according to Ukraine’s Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.
Two ballistic missiles were fired by Russia into the city center, said Volodymyr Artyukh, head of the military administration in the region. “At that time, a lot of people were on the street,” he said.
“The enemy was hoping to inflict the greatest damage on people in the city of Sumy.”
Artem Kobzar, acting mayor of Sumy, confirmed the death toll, saying, “Many people were killed today as a result of the missile strike.”
A video posted by Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko shows firefighters responding at the scene, putting out cars on fire and evacuating a woman from her home. Among the destruction seen in the city center are destroyed buildings, blown-out windows and piles of rubble. Bodies covered in emergency blankets can be seen on the ground.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called it “absolute evil” to launch the attacks on a Christian holiday and noted that the missiles hit a residential area of the city.
“We urge partners to provide Ukraine with additional air defense capabilities and increase pressure on Moscow,” Sybiha said in a statement posted to X. “Strength is the only language they can understand and the only way to put an end to the horrific terror.”
Unverified photos and video from the scene show bodies lying on the street and rescue efforts underway. Footage posted to Telegram shows the moment strikes hit the city, registering a loud noise and a large cloud of black smoke billowing into the air.
Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, called the incident a “horrific example of Russia intensifying attacks while Ukraine has accepted an unconditional ceasefire.”
Russia has increased air attacks and missile strikes on the Sumy region in recent weeks as it has pushed Ukrainian forces out of much of the adjoining Russian territory of Kursk. Its forces have also occupied a few small settlements just inside Sumy region.
This is a developing story and will be updated.