The Russian missile strike killed at least 21 people on Sunday in Smie city in northeastern Ukraine, local officials said.
Ukrainian Home Minister Ihol Klimenko said that when the streets were crowded as Russia enjoyed Palm Sunday, a popular Christian celebration in Ukraine, Russia attacked the centre of Sumi with ballistic missiles. At least 20 people have been injured, Klymenko added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted a video on social media, saying it showed the aftermath of the attack at Sumy, just 18 miles from the Russian border. The video showed the car was broken and burned, and the bloody body laying motionless on the street was burning. Firefighters and civilians were in the mood for injured as repeated screams were repeated in the background.
“We need a strong response from the world, from the US, from Europe, from everyone in the world who wants this war and murder,” Zelensky said in a message posted to Telegram. “Russia is seeking this kind of fear, and is dragging out the war.”
The strike killed 19 people, including nine children, about a week after the Russian missile collided near a playground in the central city of Kriviviri.
The United Nations said last week that 164 civilians were killed in Ukraine last month. This is an increase of 50% from February, up 70% from the same period last year.
Ukrainian officials say the attacks indicate that Russia is in fact not interested in a ceasefire, despite efforts by the Trump administration to broker.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andri Sibikha said on Saturday since the start of ceasefire talks in Saudi Arabia last month, Russia has “escalated only an increase in the threat of missiles, including attacks on Ukrainian civilian objects and strikes on energy facilities.”
“This is Russia's response to all peace proposals,” Sibiha told Uklinform, the state communications agency. “They will delay, manipulate and play with their partners to continue their attacks.”
