World leaders have condemned one of the deadliest attacks in Ukraine in recent months, after Russian ballistic missiles struck the northeastern city of Sumy on Sunday, killing at least 34 people — including two children — and injuring more than 100 others.
Ukrainian authorities confirmed the strike targeted the city centre near the Russian border, destroying homes, shops, and public buildings. President Volodymyr Zelensky described the attack, which took place on Palm Sunday, as "a completely deranged act" and urged a stronger international response.
“Only completely deranged scum can do something like this,” Zelensky said in a televised address. He also appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump to visit Ukraine and witness the devastation firsthand before making any decisions related to peace negotiations. “Come to see the people, the hospitals, the children — destroyed or dead,” he said.
U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One, labelled the strike a "horrible thing" and “a mistake,” though he declined to clarify who made the error. “You’re gonna have to ask them,” he told reporters, in reference to the incident.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed Trump’s condemnation, calling the strike “horrifying” and “a tragic reminder” of the urgency to end the war. The attack came just days after U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an attempt to broker a ceasefire.
The United Nations also expressed alarm. Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Secretary-General António Guterres was “deeply shocked” by the assault, which he said underscored a “devastating pattern” of missile attacks on Ukrainian cities.
Ukrainian emergency services said the twin missile strike destroyed 20 buildings, including a university, five apartment blocks, cafés, shops, and the local district court. Footage from the scene showed rescuers pulling bodies from the rubble, with several victims covered in silver blankets near a burned-out trolleybus.
The Ukrainian military confirmed that two Russian Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles were used in the attack. Witnesses described scenes of chaos and carnage. “A lot of people were very badly injured. A lot of corpses,” one resident told AFP, her voice trembling.
The attack in Sumy follows another deadly Russian strike earlier this month on President Zelensky’s hometown of Kryvi Rih, which left 18 people dead, including nine children.
International leaders swiftly condemned Sunday’s bombing. French President Emmanuel Macron said it showed Russia's “blatant disregard for human life and international law.” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “appalled,” while German Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz called the strike “a serious and deliberate war crime.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described it as a “cowardly” act by Russia.
Despite diplomatic efforts by Washington and European allies, Russia has continued its offensive. Ukraine has accepted a U.S.-proposed ceasefire, but Moscow has so far rejected the terms.
Sumy remains under threat, as Moscow intensifies military pressure along Ukraine's northeastern border. Russia claimed on Sunday to have captured another village in the eastern Donetsk region, as its forces continue to push deeper into Ukrainian territory.
President Zelensky concluded his address by urging allies to act decisively. “Talking has never stopped ballistic missiles and bombs,” he said.