Russia Defends Sumy Missile Strike as Targeting Military Command, Sparking Outrage Over Civilian Casualties

On Monday, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced that its missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy resulted in the deaths of over 60 Ukrainian servicemen. This statement came during a gathering of military leaders, after a 24-hour period of silence from the ministry, which claimed it did not target civilians.

Ukrainian officials reported that the strike on Sunday morning claimed 34 lives, including two children, and left 117 others injured. This incident, striking the city center, is one of the deadliest attacks in Ukraine since the beginning of 2023.

The assault drew significant international condemnation, including from U.S. President Donald Trump, who referred to it as a “horrible thing” and suggested that Russia “made a mistake.”

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, two Iskander-M ballistic missiles were launched at a “gathering of command personnel,” asserting that the attack resulted in the deaths of more than 60 Ukrainian soldiers. The ministry alleged that Ukraine had positioned military structures within civilian areas and accused them of using non-combatants as “human shields.”

«Our military targets only military and military-related sites,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated to reporters on Monday, refuting claims that civilians or residential buildings were hit.

Peskov further emphasized that, according to Russian law, only information from the Defense Ministry is recognized as official, criminalizing any reports based on non-government sources regarding the conflict.

While the Defense Ministry admitted that there were civilian casualties, it attributed the responsibility to Ukraine, claiming the strike occurred in a densely populated area due to the military gathering being held there.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the assault on Sunday and extended an invitation to Trump to visit Ukraine and witness the devastation firsthand, noting that the attack occurred on Palm Sunday, a significant Christian holiday.

“Only completely deranged scum would commit such an atrocity,” Zelensky expressed during his evening address.

This incident marks the second significant Russian offensive this month leading to substantial civilian casualties, following an earlier strike in Zelensky’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih that resulted in at least 18 fatalities, including nine children.

Reporting contributed by AFP.