Statement: Bloodshed on Palm Sunday, HI Condemns Russia’s Deadly Bombing in Populated Ukrainian Cities

Yesterday, Sunday, April 13, a Russian missile strike killed at least 34 people and injured around 100 people, including children, in Sumy, Ukraine, according to local emergency services. The missiles hit two buildings: the University of Sumy and a supermarket, at a time when they were swamped as families were celebrating Palm Sunday.

This is the second attack in less than a month on this city. On March 24, a previous missile strike injured 74 civilians, a quarter of whom were children. In recent months, there has been an increase in the number of bombings in populated areas in Ukraine.

The consequences on civilians are terrible: serious injuries and even death, destruction of vital infrastructure, and long-term psychological trauma. 

HI strongly denounces the harm caused to civilians by bombing and shelling of towns and cities taking place in the current Russian/Ukrainian war, as they are all violations of the International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law. 

Civilians are not a target. Their protection is our priority.