At least 32 people killed in Russian missile attack on Ukrainian city

At least 32 people were killed and 84 injured, including 10 children, after a Russian attack on the center of Sumy, according to Ukrainian authorities.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said that the “terrible strike from Russian ballistic missiles” had struck a “ordinary city street, an ordinary life”, adding that without strong pressure, “Russia will continue to drag this war”.

Two ISKANDER-VARIANT ballistic missiles hit local time around 10:15 a.m. (08:15 BST), both hitting the area around Sumy’s state University and its Congress Center.

The images and videos of the consequences show bloody bodies dispersed in the streets around the impact of missiles. At least two children were killed.

Ukrainian authorities have told BBC that 20 buildings had been damaged, including four educational establishments, as well as cafes, stores and five apartments. Ten cars and trams were also affected.

Zelensky called for a “difficult” response from other nations, adding that “discussions have never stopped ballistic missiles and air bombs”.

“The United States, Europe, everyone in the world who wants to finish this war and murder. Russia wants exactly this kind of terror and causes this war. Without pressure on the aggressor, peace is impossible,” he said.

“It is very important for everyone in the world not to remain silent, not to remain indifferent,” he added.

The University Congress Center is often used for children’s lessons, according to the BBC Ukrainian, with local residents saying that space is an “educational center for the whole city” and “very actively rented for various courses, clubs and master classes”.

The Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiha condemned that the attack had taken place on Sunday branches.

“Many civilians have been killed and injured. The launch of such an attack on a great Christian party is an absolute evil,” he wrote on X.

He declared that they shared “detailed information on this war crime with all our international partners and institutions”, adding that for the second month, Russia refused to accept an American proposal for a full cease-fire, which Ukraine accepted unconditionally on March 11.

“Instead, Russia increases its terror,” said Sybiha.

Sumy officials told the BBC that the missiles were filled with cluster ammunition, which can kill without discrimination in a large area.

They caused burning vehicles and folded trees where deaths seem to have been concentrated.

In a scathing attack on the Russian army, the Minister of the Interior of Ukraine, Ihor Klymenko, said that the attacks had struck the city center of Sumy, where many people were on the street near a church celebrating on Sunday Palm.

“It was at this time that the Russians struck, clearly realizing that they hit civilians,” Klymenko told the Ukrainian news agency RBC-Ukraine, warning that “the number of victims could increase”.

Keith Kellogg, the American special envoy to Ukraine, said that the attack “crosses any line of decency” and “is the reason why President Trump works hard to put an end to this war.”

The first diplomat of the European Union, Kaja Kallas, wrote on X that strikes were a “horrible example of Russia to intensify attacks while Ukraine accepted an unconditional cease-fire”.

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also condemned the attack as “horrible”.

“President Zelensky has shown his commitment to peace, President Putin must now accept a complete and immediate cease-fire without conditions-as Ukraine has done,” he said.

Emmanuel Macron said Sumy’s strikes underlined the urgent need to impose a ceasefire on Russia.

“Everyone knows this: this war was initiated by Russia alone. And today, it is clear that Russia alone chooses to continue – with a blatant contempt for human life, international law and diplomatic efforts of President Trump”, the The French president posted on X.

Starmer and Macron both worked together on plans for a so-called “desire coalition” to apply any peace agreement in Ukraine.

The attack comes after the American envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Saint Petersburg.

The Kremlin said that the meeting had lasted more than four hours and focused on “the aspects of a Ukrainian colony”. The meeting, the third of Witkoff with Putin this year, was described by the special Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev as “productive”.