Russia launched a fresh wave of missile and drone strikes across Ukraine this weekend, killing at least 27 civilians and injuring more than 100, according to Ukrainian officials. The coordinated attacks struck residential areas, churches, and infrastructure across multiple regions, including Sumy, Kherson, Kyiv, and Kharkiv.

In Sumy, a missile struck a church during Palm Sunday services, killing 21 people, including children, and wounding dozens more. Emergency crews worked overnight to pull survivors from the rubble. Local officials called it one of the deadliest single attacks in the region since the early stages of the war.

Kherson was hit by multiple drones, killing a 27-year-old man and injuring at least five others. In Kyiv and Kharkiv, drone and missile debris damaged apartment buildings, with several people hospitalized for blast injuries and smoke inhalation.

The strikes come amid the breakdown of a U.S.-mediated ceasefire arrangement meant to limit attacks on civilian energy infrastructure. Both sides have accused each other of violating the terms. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the escalation, renewing his call for international allies to provide air defense systems and long-range weapons.

“These are not military targets. These are churches. Homes. Families,” said Zelenskyy in a televised address. “The world must respond to this brutality.”

As humanitarian agencies rush to assist survivors, fears are mounting that Russia’s intensified campaign could signal the beginning of a new offensive push into Ukraine’s heartland.

The Crustian Daily will continue tracking developments and verifying claims from both sides.