A Russian missile strike on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy on Sunday has killed at least 34 people, including two children, and injured 117, Ukrainian authorities confirmed. The attack—one of the deadliest in recent months—occurred on Palm Sunday, a major Christian observance, prompting widespread condemnation from global leaders.
Two ballistic missiles struck the center of the city near Ukraine’s border with Russia, igniting fires and leaving bodies scattered on the streets. Emergency responders described a scene of devastation, with burning cars, shattered buildings, and a destroyed trolleybus amid the wreckage. Authorities declared a three-day period of mourning in the region.
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack as an act of terrorism. “Only completely deranged scum can do something like this,” he said during his nightly address. According to Zelensky, the missiles damaged five apartment buildings, a university, multiple shops and cafés, and the district court—20 buildings in total.
The Ukrainian military intelligence agency, GUR, identified the weapons used as Russian Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles. Witnesses reported hearing two large explosions and described seeing “a lot of corpses” and severely injured civilians.
The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, said he was “deeply alarmed and shocked” by the assault, which he said underscored a “devastating pattern of similar attacks” on Ukrainian towns and cities in recent weeks.
U.S. President Donald Trump called the attack “a horrible thing” while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, suggesting—without elaboration—that “a mistake” had been made. When pressed, he declined to clarify who made the error.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the missile strike as “horrifying” and a “tragic reminder of why President Trump and his administration are putting so much time and effort into trying to end this war and achieve durable peace.” The comments came just days after Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to discuss potential ceasefire arrangements.
President Zelensky urged President Trump to visit Ukraine and witness the scale of devastation firsthand before making any diplomatic decisions. “Come to see people, civilians, warriors, hospitals, churches, children—destroyed or dead,” he said in an upcoming CBS interview.
European leaders expressed fury over the timing and scale of the attack. French President Emmanuel Macron condemned what he called Russia’s “blatant disregard for human lives, international law and the diplomatic efforts of President Trump.” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “appalled,” while Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the strike a “cowardly act.” Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz labeled the missile attack a “deliberate war crime.”
The religious timing of the attack also drew sharp rebuke. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called it “a barbaric attack, made even more vile as people gathered peacefully to celebrate Palm Sunday.” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X: “The Russian version of a ceasefire. Bloody Palm Sunday.”
Sumy, a strategic city near Russia’s Kursk region, has come under growing pressure as Moscow intensifies its offensive. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly warned that Russia could launch a larger operation in the region in the coming weeks.
Sunday’s strike follows a deadly attack earlier this month on President Zelensky’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih, which left at least 18 people dead, including nine children. Ukrainian officials have renewed calls for Western governments to expedite military assistance, particularly advanced missile defense systems.
“Talking has never stopped ballistic missiles and bombs,” Zelensky said.
