Mon Apr 14 15:28:38 UTC 2025: ## Fresh Russian Strikes Kill Civilians in Eastern Ukraine After Deadly Sumy Attack
**Kharkiv, Ukraine** – Russian forces launched fresh attacks in eastern Ukraine on Monday, killing at least four civilians in Kupiansk and Kharkiv. These strikes follow a devastating double missile strike on Sumy on Sunday, which killed at least 34 civilians, including two children, and injured over 100 more. The Sumy attack, which targeted a civilian area during Palm Sunday celebrations, drew widespread international condemnation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the Sumy attack as a deliberate targeting of civilians, urging US President Donald Trump to witness the devastation firsthand before engaging in any negotiations with Russia. While Trump called the attack a “horrible mistake,” the Kremlin claimed it targeted a Ukrainian military command center, accusing Ukraine of using civilians as human shields – a claim unsupported by evidence. Russia’s Ministry of Defence reported over 60 Ukrainian soldiers killed in the Sumy attack, a figure unverified by Ukraine.
The ongoing violence prompted strong reactions from international leaders. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski accused Putin of mocking Western goodwill, while several EU leaders and the UK condemned the attacks. Germany’s incoming chancellor, Friedrich Merz, suggested supplying Ukraine with long-range Taurus missiles, a move that drew a warning from the Kremlin, which claimed it would escalate the conflict. Berlin has so far refrained from providing the missiles despite repeated Ukrainian requests. The attacks underscore the ongoing intensity of the conflict and the continued targeting of civilian populations in Ukraine.
First Piper 