Zelensky vows 'harsh' response as Russia attack kills 34 in Ukraine
Two Russian ballistic missiles have slammed into the heart of the northern Ukrainian city of Sumy, killing 34 people and wounding 117 in the deadliest strike on Ukraine this year, officials say.
President Volodymyr Zelensky demanded a tough international response against Russia over the attack, which came with US President Donald Trump’s push to rapidly end the war struggling to make a breakthrough.
“Our response will be harsh,” the Ukrainian General Staff said in a post on social media.
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“Deliberate destruction of civilians on an important church feast day,” he wrote.
Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff, said the missiles contained cluster munitions.
“The Russians are doing this to kill as many civilians as possible,” he said.
Maryana Bezuhla, an outspoken Ukrainian MP known for her sharp public criticism of military commanders, suggested on the Telegram app that the attack had taken place due to information about a gathering of soldiers leaking out.
Reuters was not able to verify that information and Bezuhla did not post evidence.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and holds nearly 20 per cent of the neighbouring country’s territory in the east and south.
Russian forces have been slowly advancing in the east.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine was “sharing detailed information about this war crime with all of our partners and international institutions”.
In the aftermath of Sunday’s Sumy strike, Zelensky called on the United States and European allies to respond robustly to what he described as Russian terrorism.
“Russia wants exactly this kind of terror and is dragging out this war. Without pressure on the aggressor, peace is impossible. Talks have never stopped ballistic missiles and aerial bombs,” he wrote.
Russia’s defence ministry accused Ukraine on Saturday of having carried out five attacks on Russian energy infrastructure over the previous day in what it called a violation of the US-brokered moratorium on such strikes.
