UN chief renews call for ceasefire in Ukraine after Russian missile strike

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is "deeply alarmed and shocked" by a deadly Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy, according to a statement released Sunday by his spokesperson.

Ukraine said that more than 30 people were killed in the strike on the city, located 31 kilometers (19.2 miles) from the Russian border, as people gathered to celebrate the Christian holiday of Palm Sunday.

Guterres emphasized in the statement that attacks targeting civilians and civilian objects are prohibited under international humanitarian law, adding that "any such attacks, wherever they occur, must end immediately."

He also reiterated his call for a lasting ceasefire in Ukraine and expressed continued support for efforts toward "a just, lasting and comprehensive peace that fully upholds Ukraine's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant UN resolutions."

The Sumy City Council later announced that three days of mourning have been declared in the northeastern region starting on Monday.

In two separate statements on X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the world to "not stay silent or indifferent" to the attacks, saying such strikes deserve "nothing but condemnation."