Missile attack on Sumy on Palm Sunday: a family of evangelicals killed, buildings destroyed, services disrupted
Missile attack on Sumy on Palm Sunday: a family of evangelicals killed, buildings destroyed, services disruptedOn Sunday, April 13, during the Palm Sunday celebration, Russian troops launched a missile attack on the center of Sumy. According to the State Emergency Service, as of 6 p.m., 34 dead, including two children, and 117 wounded, including 15 minors, were recorded. In connection with the tragedy, a day of mourning was declared in many Ukrainian cities on April 14.
Source: vsirazom
The attack on Sumy coincided with a service in the Light of the Gospel Church
At the time of the attack, a Sunday morning service was taking place in Sumy at the Light of the Gospel Church of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. Dozens of believers were in the building when two explosions from Iskander-M ballistic missiles fired from the territory of the Russian Federation occurred nearby. Thanks to God’s protection, the congregation says, all those present survived. One member of the ministry was injured, and many suffered psychological trauma.
The shockwave caused significant damage to the house of worship: 17 windows were smashed, the entrance and doors were damaged. During the explosion, an online broadcast of the service was going on – the video shows the moment of the explosion, the fright of the faithful and the subsequent evacuation to the shelter. The cameraman noted that the first explosion occurred before the air raid alert was announced, so people were not prepared for the threat.
An evangelical family on their way to worship was killed
The Martynenko family, believers of the evangelical church, were among the victims of the attack. Mykola, his wife Natalia, and their 11-year-old son Maksym were killed on their way to a house of worship. This was reported by Pastor Vitaliy Orlov. Their deaths have become a symbol of the barbarity of Russian attacks and a pain for the entire Christian community.
In his address, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the attack another act of terror, emphasizing that among the victims was a baby born in 2025. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov noted that the shelling was deliberate and requires a tough response from the international community. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko clarified that the strikes hit the city center, where the willow trees were being blessed in a church.
The UOC Metropolitan characterized the actions of the Russians as “ungodly,” emphasizing that even during holy days the enemy does not stop at evil.
