Ukraine said Russia launched ballistic missiles on Sumy’s city centre on Palm Sunday.
The attack came two days after US envoy Steve Witkoff travelled to Russia to meet its leader, Vladimir Putin and despite US President Donald Trump urging Moscow to end the war.
Sumy lies close to the Russian border and has come under increasing attack in recent weeks.
“As of 13:40 (1040GMT), 31 people were killed, including 2 children,” the service said on social media, adding that “84 people were injured, including 10 children.”
Witnesses reported seeing bodies covered in silver sheets strewn across the centre of the city, as well as a severely destroyed trolleybus, and rescuers working through the rubble of a building.
Rescuers said the strike hit the city centre “right when there were many people on the street.”
They said people were wounded or killed “in the middle of the street, in cars, public transport, and in houses.”
It is the second Russian attack with a large civilian death toll this month as Trump voices some anger at Moscow for “bombing like crazy” in Ukraine.
Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky called on the world to put pressure on Russia to end the three-year war and called for a “strong response” from Europe and the US.
“Talking has never stopped ballistic missiles and bombs,” Zelensky said, two days after Witkoff held hours-long talks with Putin in Saint Petersburg.
“Enemy missiles hit an ordinary city street, an ordinary life: houses, educational institutions, cars on the street,” he said on social media.
Moscow has not yet commented on the strike. (AFP)
