Russian glide bombs kill two, damage historic Sumy church and statue
Four guided bombs hit central Sumy on 29 September, killing two people and injuring six, including three children, and damaging a 19th-century church, officials said.
Incidents in this story
- Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Sumy · 29 September, afternoon: Glide-bomb strike on central Sumy kills 2, injures 6, damages church (2 killed, 6 injured)
- Sumy · 1 October: Separate guided-bomb strike on homes injures two women (2 injured)
Russian forces killed two people and injured six, three of them children, in a glide-bomb strike on central Sumy on 29 September that also damaged a 19th-century church and a bronze statue of Christ, city and church officials said. Sumy and the surrounding community were hit with six KAB guided bombs in the afternoon, according to Censor.net and Ukrinform, and the strike also knocked out power in parts of the city.
Four of the bombs struck near the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, a nationally protected architectural monument dating to the 1840s, the diocesan outlet Pravoslavna Sumshchyna reported, cited by Euromaidan Press. The church's rector, Archpriest Mykola Holyk, said the building suffered extensive damage: the shockwave shattered nearly every window, brought ceilings down in several rooms, ripped out doors and left the roof pierced in numerous places, with icons dislodged inside.
A bronze statue of Christ standing in front of the church, erected in the late 19th century on the grave of former Sumy mayor Dmytro Sukhanov, was struck by bomb fragments that left a cut across its chest, Euromaidan Press reported. About 50 graves in the adjoining Central City Cemetery were also damaged.
The same strike hit a school where children were sheltering and a nearby residential area, where the two deaths and six injuries occurred, Euromaidan Press reported, citing the diocese. "The godless enemy continues to kill civilians, endanger children, and destroy schools, homes, hospitals, churches, and cemeteries," the diocese said in a statement.
Sumy and the wider region have faced repeated Russian strikes in the following days. A guided bomb hit private homes in Sumy on 1 October, injuring two women and damaging about six houses, city military administration head Serhii Kryvosheienko said. A Russian strike set fire to a shopping centre in Sumy Oblast's Romny district on 30 September, which crews fought until late that night, the State Emergency Service said.
What we know
- A Russian glide-bomb strike on central Sumy on 29 September killed two people and injured six, three of them children.
- Four KAB bombs damaged the 19th-century Church of Saints Peter and Paul and a bronze statue of Christ outside it.
- About 50 graves in the adjoining cemetery were also damaged.
- The same strike hit a school where children were sheltering and nearby homes, and caused power cuts in the city.
Why it matters for Europe
Sumy, close to the Russian border, has faced sustained Russian bombardment throughout the war, with churches, schools and homes repeatedly hit alongside military and infrastructure targets. The damage to a protected 19th-century landmark adds to a wider pattern of strikes on cultural and religious sites across Ukraine this year, including churches in Donetsk Oblast, Lviv and Kyiv.
Sources
Reported by 3 reports from 3 independent outlets in 2 countries.
- Liveuamap: At least 6 people wounded in Sumy as result of Russian airstrikes with 6 glide bombs in Sumy
- Censor.net: At least six people have been injured as result of Russian air strike on Sumy and surrounding area; there are power cuts. PHOTOS
- Ukrinform: Russian glide-bomb strike on Sumy leaves six injured
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Questions and answers
- What happened in Sumy on 29 September?
- A Russian glide-bomb strike killed two people and injured six, three of them children, and damaged a historic church, a statue and a cemetery.
- What damage did the church suffer?
- The blast blew out its windows, brought down ceiling plaster, tore out doors and holed the roof in several places, the church's rector said.
- Has Sumy faced further attacks since?
- Yes. Further strikes on 30 September and 1 October hit a shopping centre and homes in the area, officials said.
This article was written with AI assistance from 3 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.