Ukraine has identified Russian commanders involved in the attack on Sumy on Palm Sunday
The Security Service of Ukraine, in cooperation with the Main Intelligence Directorate, has identified the Russian military commanders who organized the missile strike on Sumy on April 13, 2025. According to the investigation, evidence has been gathered against senior commanders of the Russian Armed Forces involved in the attack, and charges have been filed against them.
This was reported by the SBU.
The investigation established that the Russians attacked the center of the frontline city with two Iskander-M ballistic missiles. As a result of the hostile strike, 35 people were killed, including two children. 125 people, 22 of whom were minors, sustained injuries of varying severity. Nearly 100 civilian infrastructure facilities were also destroyed or damaged, including apartment buildings, educational institutions, shops, public transportation, and local architectural landmarks.
The attack on the regional center was initiated by the Chief of Staff—First Deputy Commander of the Russian Armed Forces’ Joint Group of Forces in Ukraine, Colonel General Alexei Kim—and his deputy, the Head of Intelligence, Colonel Vasily Solovyov.
On Kim’s orders, officials from the Firepower Planning and Coordination Center of the Joint Group of Forces in Ukraine of the Russian Armed Forces were responsible for preparing the missile strike:
- Vice Admiral Sergei Pinchuk – Head of the Center – Deputy Commander (for Firepower);
- Colonel Alexander Kisedobrev – Head of the Center’s Missile Forces and Artillery;
- Rear Admiral Alexei Petrushin – Head of the Center’s Intelligence Directorate (enemy firepower);
- Colonel Anatoliy Gorodetskyi – Chief of Staff of the Center – Deputy Commander of the Missile Forces and Artillery.
The following individuals directly issued orders to launch ballistic missiles from the Kursk and Voronezh regions:
- Colonel Roman Polushin – Commander of the 448th Missile Brigade;
- Colonel Serhiy Ponomariov – Commander of the 112th Missile Brigade.
Based on the evidence gathered, investigators from the Security Service notified all eight Russian military personnel in absentia of their suspicion under Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (war crimes resulting in the death of people, committed by a group of individuals acting in concert). According to law enforcement officials, comprehensive measures are underway to find and punish those responsible.
