34 Dead... Trump Describes Russian Strike on Ukraine's Sumy as "Horrific"
The hesitant US position on holding Russia directly responsible for the attack represents a shift in American diplomatic discourse toward the Russian-Ukrainian conflict since the Trump administration
April 14, 2025, 10:08 pm

34 Dead... Trump Describes Russian Strike on Ukraine's Sumy as

The Kremlin insisted on Monday that the Russian military "only targets military and paramilitary sites," following a missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy that killed 34 people and injured dozens amid Palm Sunday celebrations.

The Russian Defense Ministry announced that it launched two Iskander missiles "at a meeting place of the Ukrainian command headquarters," accusing Kyiv of using "residents as human shields" by establishing military facilities and organizing events with soldiers' participation in the heart of a densely populated city.

US President Donald Trump described the Russian strike as "horrific," adding: "I was told they made a mistake." When asked to clarify, he said: "This is Biden's war... not my war... I'm just trying to stop it to save many lives."

The White House issued a statement considering the attack "a clear and stark reminder that President Trump's efforts to try to end this terrible war come at a crucial time," without directly blaming Russia.

This attack was preceded by an invitation from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to his American counterpart to visit Ukraine before making any decisions, saying: "Come see the people and civilians and hospitals and churches and children... then let's move forward with a plan to end the war."

This attack is one of the bloodiest in recent weeks and comes two days after a senior US official visited Russia following the resumption of communications between Washington and Moscow in mid-February.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”