Russian missile strike on Sumy claimed at least 34 lives and injured 117 people

A Russian ballistic missile strike killed dozens of people in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy on the morning of Palm Sunday, Sumy Mayor Artem Kobzar reported on April 13.

At least, 34 people were killed in the attack, including two children, and at least 117 were injured, including 15 children, Ukraine’s Emergency Services reported.

For the air strike on the center of Sumy, the Russians used ballistic missiles with cassette equipment. The main blow came to the trolley with civilians who were on their way back from a church, most of them were killed there.

The second rocket broke into the air, and the elements of the cassette ammunition struck the civilian population and infrastructure.

President Volodymyr Zelensky, reacting to the missile strike on Sumy, emphasized the cruelty and timing of the attack. He described how enemy missiles had struck an ordinary city street — hitting homes, schools, and cars — on a day when people were heading to church for Palm Sunday. He pointed to the symbolic weight of the attack taking place on a religious holiday, underscoring its deliberate cruelty.

Zelensky stressed that peace cannot be achieved without firm pressure on the aggressor. He argued that diplomatic talks alone have never stopped ballistic missiles or air bombs, and insisted that the international community must treat Russia as it would treat a terrorist — with the seriousness and resolve such actions demand.

It is worth mentioning that the attack took place on the Palm Sunday.

Russian glide bomb attack on Kupiansk injured four people

On April 12, Russian forces launched a glide bomb strike on a private residence in Kupiansk, Kharkiv Oblast, injuring four civilians and possibly trapping others beneath the rubble. The attack took place around 6:20 p.m. local time, amid ongoing heavy shelling of the area, according to Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov.

Among the injured were a 25-year-old woman, a 26-year-old man, and two older women aged 52 and 73. Syniehubov noted that emergency responders were working at the scene, with preliminary reports suggesting that at least three more people could be trapped under the debris.

Kupiansk, situated only about two kilometers from the front line and divided by the Oskil River, is of strategic importance due to its position between Russian-occupied Luhansk Oblast and neighboring Kharkiv Oblast. The city continues to endure frequent Russian attacks, including missile, drone, and glide bomb strikes.

Russia will face inevitable retribution – Ukraine's General Staff reacted to the Sumy attack

Following the deadly missile strike on Sumy that claimed 32 lives, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces issued a strong statement condemning Russia's actions and promising retribution.

In the statement, Ukraine’s military leadership asserted that Russia had once again demonstrated its unwillingness to pursue peace, instead aiming to spread fear through deliberate targeting of civilians. However, they stressed that such tactics would be met not with fear, but with fury.

According to the General Staff, Ukraine’s response would be harsh and unrelenting, vowing to destroy Russian occupiers along with their military infrastructure, weapons, and equipment—regardless of their location. They emphasized that Russian war crimes would not be forgotten or forgiven, and that those responsible would eventually be brought to justice.

The statement also pointed out that Russia, unable to secure strategic gains on the battlefield, continues to rely on terror tactics in violation of international humanitarian law and the accepted norms of warfare.

Several hundred Chinese nationals are fighting for Russia - Zelensky

During the 27th meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in the Ramstein format on April 11, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed that Ukraine has intelligence indicating the presence of at least several hundred Chinese nationals fighting alongside Russia’s occupation forces.

Zelenskyy argued that this development highlights Russia’s determination to prolong the war, even at the cost of foreign lives. He noted that after turning to North Korean troops, the Kremlin is now reportedly relying on Chinese nationals to fill its ranks.

“This means Russia is clearly trying to prolong the war – even by using Chinese lives,” Zelenskyy said. “Putin wasn’t satisfied with soldiers from North Korea. Now he is trying to cover his shortages by pulling in yet another nation – the Chinese.”

The president questioned how long Russia could continue sourcing manpower in this way and emphasized that the international response must shift the burden of such decisions away from Moscow’s discretion.

“We must work together to make such questions not about Moscow’s choices, but about our joint pressure on Moscow – because that’s the only way it will work,” Zelenskyy concluded.