Russia deployed cluster munitions in its deadly Palm Sunday missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy, outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink said on April 13.
Russia attacked the northeastern city with ballistic missiles on the morning of Palm Sunday, killing at least 34 people, including two children. The strike injured at least another 117 people, including 15 children.
Brink joined the chorus of international officials speaking out in the aftermath of the attack. In a post on X, Brink said that reports indicate Russia used cluster munitions in the strike on Sumy.
"Reports indicate, as in Kryvyi Rih, cluster munitions were used, increasing the devastation and harm to civilians," she wrote.
Russia targeted the city of Kryvyi Rih with a missile attack on April 4, killing 20 people and injuring 75. Children were among the casualties.
Cluster munitions disperse hundreds of smaller "bomblets" in a wide area upon impact. Russia has repeatedly used cluster munitions throughout its full-scale invasion, particularly in populated civilian areas.
Brink, who recently announced her resignation from her long-held post as ambassador, also expressed her sympathies.
"Our prayers are with the people of Sumy," Brink wrote.
Brink's departure is reportedly tied to disagreements with the Trump administration's approach to policy on Ukraine and Russia.
U.S. Special Envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg also denounced Russia's attack on Sumy, saying that targeting civilians "crosses any line of decency." The attack has been widely condemned by European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Kateryna Denisova
