Ukraine: 34 killed after Russian missile attack on the town of Sumy

(AFP) At least 34 people were killed and 117 injured Sunday in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy by Russian missile strikes, Kiev's state emergency service said Sunday.

"Russia struck the center of the city with ballistic missiles. Just when there were many people in the street," rescuers posted on social media.

Sumy, located near the Russian border, has recently come under repeated attacks-particularly since Moscow pushed back much of the Ukrainian forces from Russia's Kursk region.

The attack took place "on a day when people go to church: Palm Sunday (...) Only evildoers can do this," according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who shortly before had reported "dozens of dead and wounded."

Images on social media show burned cars and columns of smoke.

United States speaks out on the attack

The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, responded to the Russian attack on his X account. He said:

"The United States extends our deepest condolences to the victims of today's horrifying Russian missile attack on Sumy." And he added: "This is a tragic reminder of why President Trump and his Administration are putting so much time and effort into trying to end this war and achieve durable peace."

For weeks, Kiev has been warning that Moscow could intensify its offensive in Sumy, a city located roughly 30 miles from the Russian border.

This week, Russia announced the capture of a townin the Sumy region, marking a rare advance in northeastern Ukraine-an area from which its troops were forced to retreat in the spring of 2022.

Donald Trump: Russian bombing in Ukraine was “a horrible thing.”

On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump called the deadly Russian shelling of the Ukrainian city of Sumi, which killed at least 34 people, a “horrible thing.”

Aboard Air Force One, Trump said, “I think it was terrible. And I was told they made a mistake (the Russians). I think it's a horrible thing, though. I think all war is a horrible thing.”