Russia’s Cluster Missile Attack on Palm Sunday Claims 34 Lives, Including 2 Children, and Leaves Over 100 Injured

The barbaric strike of russia’s troops hit the city center, an area crowded with civilians returning from Palm Sunday services, resulting in mass casualties.

According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, as of 6:00 PM local time, 34 people have been confirmed killed, including two children. Another 117 were injured, at least 10 being children among them. Emergency response efforts are ongoing at the site.

The missile reportedly detonated mid-air above the city, scattering deadly submunitions across a wide area. Witnesses and officials confirmed that the brunt of the casualties occurred aboard a trolleybus that was passing by at the moment of the blast. Nearly all passengers were killed.

“This was a trolleybus of death. There were many people and children inside. The rocket exploded in the air, and we can see the shrapnel embedded in nearby buildings” – said Volodymyr Artiukh, head of the Sumy Regional Administration.

The attack also caused extensive destruction to residential and administrative infrastructure. Sumy State University and the premises of a local Human Rights Protection Center sustained significant damage.

Although the regional governor did not specify the type of missile used, the Office of the President of Ukraine confirmed that cluster munitions were employed, accusing russia of deliberately aiming to kill as many civilians as possible.

The evil terrorist strike drew swift international condemnation, with both Washington and Brussels reacting within hours.

Keith Kellogg, U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine and russia, said the russian attack “crosses any line of decency”, condemning the targeting of civilians on a holy day.

In turn, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, called the strike “even more vile”, as it targeted peaceful citizens that gathered to celebrate Palm Sunday.

As War News Hub reported earlier, on April 4, russian ballistic missile struck a residential area in Kryvyi Rih, landing near apartment buildings and a children’s playground. The attack, described by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as inhumane and deliberate, left 20 people dead, including 9 children, 75 injured including 12 children.