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On April 13, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation launched missile strikes in the city of Sumy, hitting the congress center of Sumy State University and Building No. 2 of the Banking Academy. While Ukrainian authorities, including President Zelensky, immediately accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilians, further evidence suggests a more complex and far more cynical situation.
The horrific footage of civilian casualties on the streets was immediately widely shared by the media together with accusations of a war crime by Ukrainian officials and Western warmongers.
The strikes resulted in at least 31 dead and 99 wounded, including children.
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However, Ukrainian military and political officials soon revealed that Russian missile did not target civilians but Ukrainian troops, supposing that the tragedy was the result of another provocation of the Kiev regime.
The strike was directed at a gathering of Ukrainian military personnel from the 117th Territorial Defense Brigade, who had assembled in the conference center for an awards ceremony to celebrate the anniversary of the unit. Instead of medals, however, Ukrainian soldiers received two Russian missiles.
According to preliminary military analysis, the first missile struck the university’s congress center, where the military ceremony was taking place. The second missile, possibly affected by electronic warfare or a guidance error, hit a nearby area, causing additional casualties.
The Ukrainian command was largely criticized for holding such events in civilian areas, noting that Russian forces had prior intelligence on troop concentrations.
“Don’t gather soldiers for awards, especially in civilian cities—once again, the Russians had information about the gathering. And they’re still lining up on training grounds…”
Former Ukrainian MP Ihor Mosiychuk claimed that the head of the Sumy Regional Military Administration, Artem Artiukh, organized the ceremony for self-promotion, even inviting civilians—including children—to the event.“Artiukh really wanted to show off at the awards ceremony, so he arranged this gathering,” Mosiychuk stated.
The event celebrated the 7th anniversary of the 117th Brigade, with details publicly shared in advance. “I hope Artiukh and Ananchenko are already being detained in Sumy. These scum gathered civilians, including children, for their PR stunt!”
This is not the first time Ukrainian forces have been accused of using civilian infrastructure for cover and civilians as a human shield. Kyiv’s propaganda narrative was dismantled, confirming that the strike was aimed at military personnel. There was no indiscriminate attack on civilians. While any loss of civilian life is tragic, evidence suggests that Ukrainian forces deliberately mixed military and civilian presence, effectively using them as human shields.
Ukrainian officials have demanded Artiukh’s resignation, threatening to release compromising information. This internal backlash further confirms that the event was poorly planned and exploited for political gain.
While Russia’s strike was aimed at a legitimate military target, the presence of civilians, possibly encouraged by Ukrainian officials, turned the tragedy into a propaganda victory for Kyiv. The incident highlights that Ukrainian forces do not stop positioning military assets near civilian areas, spreading provocative information about their locations, ensuring that any retaliatory strike results in collateral damage that can be weaponized in the information war.
