Romanian officials have condemned Russia’s deadly missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy, which killed at least 34 people, including two children, and injured more than 110.
Russian ballistic missiles ripped through the busy center of Ukraine’s northeastern city of Sumy on Sunday, officials said, killing at least 34 people and striking terror in the city where residents were out enjoying Palm Sunday and attending morning church services.
It was the deadliest attack of the conflict this year. Two children were among the scores of people killed in the strikes on the city’s center, while 117 people were wounded, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the strikes were carried out by ballistic missiles; one hit a university building and another “exploded right over (a) street,” he said.
Zelensky also called for a “strong response from the world” to the attack, which came two days after top Trump administration official Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.
Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said his government “strongly condemns this atrocity.”
“Our condolences to the families of the victims of the horrific missile attack by Russia, in Sumy, on this day of Palm Sunday.”
The Romanian Government stands in solidarity with Ukraine. Our condolences to the familes of the victims of the horrific missile attack by Russia, in Sumy, on this day of Palm Sunday. We strongly condemn this atrocity.
— Marcel Ciolacu (@CiolacuMarcel) April 13, 2025
Interim President Ilie Bolojan lamented the ‘heartbreaking scenes’ and said “We continue to support all efforts to achieve peace and put an end to these war crimes.”
Heartbreaking scenes from #Sumy on this Palm Sunday, as Russian missiles killed innocent civilians. Our thoughts are with the Ukrainian people and the families of the victims. We continue to support all efforts to achieve peace and put an end to these war crimes.
— Ilie Bolojan (@Bolojan) April 13, 2025
Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, said that the Sumy attack crossed “any line of decency” and that the White House remained committed to ending the conflict.
Ukrainian officials said that preliminary information indicated cluster bombs were used in the attack. The second of the two explosions was described as being likely filled with munitions that “exploded mid-air to inflict maximum damage on people,” according to the head of the region’s military administration.
