Russian ballistic missiles ripped through the busy center of Ukraine’s northeastern city of Sumy on Sunday, officials said, killing at least 35 people and striking terror into residents who were out enjoying Palm Sunday and attending morning church services.

Russia said two of its missiles had hit a meeting of Ukrainian military officers on Sunday in the city of Sumy, where Ukraine said Russian strikes had killed 34 people and wounded 117. Russia's defence ministry accused Ukraine of using civilians as human shields by placing military facilities and holding events involving soldiers in the centre of a densely populated city.

Russian missiles struck the heart of the Ukrainian city of Sumy as people gathered to celebrate Palm Sunday, killing at least 32 people, officials said, in the second large-scale attack to claim civilian lives in just over a week.