Russia is facing intense international condemnation after launching a deadly missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy, which left at least 34 people dead—including two children—and injured more than 119 others. The Kremlin claimed the attack was aimed at Ukrainian military targets, but the devastating damage in civilian areas has sparked allegations of war crimes and calls for harsher sanctions.
The strike, which occurred early on Palm Sunday, targeted central Sumy—a city located less than 20 miles from the Russian border. Ukrainian officials reported that two ballistic missiles hit the city, one of which exploded near university buildings while another detonated above a crowded street. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strike as part of Russia’s continued disregard for human life and called for immediate and severe international pressure. In a social media post, Zelenskyy said only tangible sanctions against sectors that finance “the Russian killing machine” could help stop further bloodshed.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded by stating that the Russian military strikes only legitimate targets and accused Ukraine of using civilian areas as cover for military operations. Russia’s Ministry of Defense further claimed that the strike killed over 60 Ukrainian troops, including senior officers allegedly attending a meeting in Sumy’s city center. However, Russia has not provided evidence to support its claims, and Ukraine insists the attack primarily hit civilian infrastructure.
The international community swiftly responded to the incident, with several European Union leaders labeling the strike as a war crime. Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski, speaking from a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, called the strike “Russia’s mocking answer” to Ukraine’s earlier ceasefire agreement, which had been proposed by the United States. Sikorski urged the Trump administration to recognize the move as a clear rejection of peace efforts by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen echoed those concerns, especially noting the attack came shortly after a visit to Russia by President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff. Valtonen said the timing shows that Russia not only ignores international peace initiatives but also places no value on human life. Lithuania’s foreign minister, Kestutis Budrys, claimed that Russia used cluster munitions in the Sumy strike, calling it a war crime “by definition,” although that allegation has not been independently verified.
France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot accused Putin of having no genuine interest in a ceasefire, arguing that the only way to halt the war is to impose the “toughest possible sanctions” to cripple Russia’s ability to continue its military campaign. The EU, which has already enacted 16 rounds of sanctions against Moscow, is currently negotiating a 17th package, though increasing resistance from member states facing economic backlash has made new measures more difficult to finalize.
Germany’s chancellor-designate, Friedrich Merz, described the Sumy strike as a “serious war crime” during an appearance on national television. He reaffirmed his support for supplying Ukraine with long-range Taurus cruise missiles—an initiative blocked by the outgoing government. Merz argued that Ukraine needs advanced capabilities to stay ahead of Russian attacks and that such a move should be coordinated with European allies.
The Kremlin swiftly condemned Merz’s proposal, claiming that the delivery of long-range missiles would only escalate the war. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that European leaders are choosing provocation over diplomacy and are deliberately avoiding avenues for potential peace talks.
Russia’s military campaign has sharply intensified in recent weeks. According to Ukrainian officials, Russian forces dropped more than 2,800 air bombs and launched over 1,400 strike drones and 60 missiles of various types this month alone. The Sumy attack followed a deadly April 4 missile strike on Zelenskyy’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih, which killed around 20 people, including nine children.
U.S. President Donald Trump, addressing reporters in the Oval Office, referred to the Sumy attack as a “mistake”—but emphasized that the real mistake was allowing the war to begin. He blamed current President Joe Biden, along with Zelenskyy and Putin, for failing to prevent the conflict. “Everybody’s to blame,” Trump said, further fueling political controversy over the U.S. role in the war.
Meanwhile, late Sunday night, Russian drones targeted the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa, injuring eight people and damaging a medical facility. Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 62 Shahed drones across the country in just one night, 40 of which were shot down and 11 jammed.
In another striking development, two Chinese nationals captured on the battlefield by Ukrainian forces claimed they had voluntarily joined Russia’s war effort after responding to online recruitment videos on TikTok. Speaking at a Kyiv news conference, the men said they were not recruited by Chinese authorities and alleged that they were misled and trapped by Russian forces. They described poor treatment and coercive tactics, expressing hope they would be returned home in a future prisoner exchange.
Their statements could not be independently verified, and the Associated Press noted that their remarks were made under unclear conditions. Chinese authorities previously said they urge their citizens to avoid all foreign military involvement, although Beijing has offered Moscow diplomatic support throughout the conflict.
U.S. officials continue to accuse Iran of supplying drones to Russia, while both American and South Korean intelligence agencies claim that North Korea has deployed thousands of troops to assist Moscow’s efforts on the battlefield.
As outrage mounts and the death toll rises, the Sumy missile strike has reignited international urgency for action—whether through escalated sanctions, enhanced military support for Ukraine, or renewed pressure on Russia to engage in genuine peace negotiations.
