SUMY, Ukraine (AFP)— A Russian missile strike on Sunday on the Ukrainian city of Sumy killed at least 34 people, authorities said as European and US leaders condemned one of the deadliest attacks in months.

Two ballistic missiles hit the centre of the northeastern city, close to the Russian border, on Sunday morning, Ukrainian authorities said.

Bodies were left strewn in the street and President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that the attack occurred on Palm Sunday. “Only bastards do this,” he declared.

The latest emergency service toll said the missiles killed 34 people, including two children, and wounded 117, including 15 children.

The dead were seen covered in silver sheets at the scene of the strike in the centre of the city. Rescuers worked through the rubble of a building near a destroyed trolleybus.

Zelensky said 68 injured were in hospitals and eight were in serious condition.

“In addition to the university, the strike damaged five apartment buildings, cafes, shops, and the district court. In total, the Russian attack damaged 20 buildings,” said Zelensky.

US President Donald Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, retired lieutenant general Keith Kellogg, said on X that Russia’s attack on civilian targets “crosses any line of decency”.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed condolences to the victims of the “horrifying Russian missile attack on Sumy”.

“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,” Rubio added.

The strike came two days after US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff travelled to Russia to meet with President Vladimir Putin and push Trump’s efforts to end the war.

The head of Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, said on Telegram that Russia used two Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles on Sumy.

– ‘A lot of corpses’ –
One woman told AFP she heard two explosions.

“A lot of people were very badly injured. A lot of corpses,” she said, struggling to speak.

Sumy declared three days of mourning.

It was the second Russian attack this month to cause a large civilian death toll. An attack on Zelensky’s home city of Kryvi Rig killed at least 18 people, including nine children.

Trump has previously voiced anger at Moscow for “bombing like crazy” in Ukraine.

Zelensky called on the United States and Europe to give a “strong response” to Russia, adding: “Talking has never stopped ballistic missiles and bombs.”

France’s President Emmanuel Macron said the strike showed Russia’s “blatant disregard for human lives, international law and the diplomatic efforts of President Trump”.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “appalled” by the attack, which Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni described as a “cowardly” act by Russia.

The fact the bloodshed fell on Palm Sunday outraged several leaders.

It was “a barbaric attack, made even more vile as people gathered peacefully to celebrate Palm Sunday,” European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said on X.

“The Russian version of a ceasefire. Bloody Palm Sunday,” said Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, while Danish leader Mette Frederiksen said the “missile attack on civilians gathered on Palm Sunday… shows Russia’s true face”.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the killing “as many people made their way to prayer on Palm Sunday” demonstrated that “Putin underscores with blood that he seeks not peace but destruction”.

Dutch premier Dick Schoof urged more air defences “so that Ukraine can defend itself against this violence”.

– Relentless Russian offensive –
Russia did not immediately comment on the strike. Moscow has refused a US-proposed unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine.

Authorities in Sumy published footage of bodies in the street and people running for safety, with cars on fire and wounded civilians on the ground.

Russia has relentlessly attacked Ukraine in recent weeks, stepping its all-out invasion that has gone on for more than three years.

Sumy has been under increasing pressure since Moscow pushed back many of Ukraine’s troops from its Kursk region inside Russia, across the border.

Kyiv for weeks has warned that Moscow could mount an offensive on Sumy.

Russia launched its invasion partially through the Sumy region and briefly occupied parts of it before being pushed back by Ukrainian forces.

On Sunday, Russia said it captured another village in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region.