At least 32 people have been killed and 84 injured, including 10 children, after a Russian attack on the centre of Sumy, according to Ukrainian authorities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the “terrible strike by Russian ballistic missiles” hit an “ordinary city street, ordinary life” adding that, without strong pressure, “Russia will continue to drag out this war”.
Two Iskander-variant ballistic missiles struck at around 10:15 local time (08:15 GMT), both hitting the area around Sumy State University and its congress centre.
Photos and videos of the aftermath show bloodied bodies scattered in the streets around the impact of the missiles. At least two children were killed.
Ukrainian authorities told the BBC that 20 buildings were damaged, including four educational institutions, 10 cars and trams – as well as cafes, shops and five apartment buildings.
Zelensky called for a “tough” reaction from the world, adding “talks have never stopped ballistic missiles and air bombs”.
“The United States, Europe, everyone in the world who wants an end to this war and murders. Russia wants exactly this kind of terror and is dragging out this war. Without pressure on the aggressor, peace is impossible,” Zelensky said.
“It is very important for everyone in the world not to remain silent, not to remain indifferent,” he added.
The university’s congress centre is often used for children’s classes, according to BBC Ukrainian, with local residents telling them that the space is an “educational hub for the entire city” and “very actively rented out for various courses, clubs, and master classes”.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha also condemned the attack taking place on Palm Sunday.
“Many civilians have been killed and injured. Launching such an attack on a major Christian holiday is absolute evil,” he wrote on X.
He added that they were sharing “detailed information about this war crime with all of our partners and international institutions”, saying that for the second month in a row, Russia has refused to accept the US proposal for a full ceasefire, which Ukraine unconditionally accepted on 11 March.
“Instead, Russia ramps up its terror,” Sybiha said.
The European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas also reacted, saying on X that residents gathering for Palm Sunday “only to be met by Russian missiles” was a “horrific example of Russia intensifying attacks while Ukraine has accepted an unconditional ceasefire”.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the Sumy strikes highlighted the urgent need to impose a ceasefire on Russia.
The attack comes after US envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Friday.
The Kremlin said the meeting lasted more than four hours and focused on “aspects of a Ukrainian settlement”. The meeting, Witkoff’s third with Putin this year, was described by Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev as “productive”.