Journalists from the American newspaper The Washington Post spoke with a Ukrainian serviceman who was attending an awards ceremony in Sumy when Russia attacked the city with ballistic missiles. The ceremony participants were not injured in the missile attack, but dozens of civilians who were near the site of the attack were killed.
The award ceremony took place in the basement of the Sumy State University building, Oleksandr told reporters. At the time of the strike, he and other servicemen, including his comrades from the 117th Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Defense Forces, were safe. At the same time, Oleksandrʼs wife was trying to help the soldierʼs six-year-old adopted daughter on the street, who had received a shrapnel wound to the lung. The child is now in intensive care.
Ukrainian soldier Oleksandr and his wife care for their stepdaughter in intensive care. The child was injured during a Russian missile strike on Sumy on April 13.
The Washington Post
Oleksandr blames the strike not only on the Russians, but also on the local authorities of Sumy. The military considers holding the awards ceremony in Sumy unnecessary and irresponsible. The city is located close to the border with Russia, does not have serious air defense and is regularly attacked. The awards ceremony itself could have been the Russiansʼ target for this strike.
Before coming to Sumy, Oleksandr fought in the Belgorod region of Russia. It was from there that he was summoned to Sumy for an award ceremony, which, he says, irritated him: "I donʼt need these medals and these papers. I want to kill all the Russian soldiers and return home to my civilian life."
He holds Volodymyr Artyukh, the head of the military administration of Sumy region, “100% responsible” for the deaths and injuries of civilians. After the Russian strike on Sumy, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved his dismissal, but this still needs to be approved by the president.
Rescuers are clearing rubble in Sumy.
Alla Zubakiyeva, the mother of 13-year-old Mykhailo, who was injured during the attack, also speaks about the dissatisfaction with Ukrainian officials over the award ceremony:
“I’m not just angry at the Russians — I also hold the authorities responsible.” She welcomed the news of Artyukh’s imminent release: “And thank God.”
Under international law, both parties to a conflict must try to prevent harm to civilians, WP notes.
Russia fired missiles at the civilian part of the city, resulting in a large number of casualties. On that day, Palm Sunday, many civilians were going to church. However, journalists note that international norms also require Ukraine to avoid placing military targets in densely populated civilian areas. When troops are defending residential areas from attacks, this requirement is very difficult to fulfill, but events such as the awards ceremony do not seem mandatory, the newspaper adds.
What is known about the blow?
On the morning of April 13, 2025, Russia struck the center of Sumy with two ballistic missiles. 35 people were killed, including two children aged 17 and 12, and another 117 people were injured.
The Ukrainian authorities have not officially confirmed that the military awards ceremony was held on the day of the attack. However, some politicians, including the mayor of Konotop Artem Semenikhin have stated this. He blamed the head of the Sumy Regional Military Administration Volodymyr Artyukh, for the incident.
Artyukh himself said that he did not initiate the award ceremony, he was invited there. He did not say who exactly.
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