A Russian drone strike on a passenger bus in northeastern Ukraine has left at least nine people dead and seven injured, Ukrainian officials reported on Saturday. The attack took place just hours after Russia and Ukraine held their first direct peace discussions in three years.
Despite discussions about a potential leaders’ summit, a ceasefire, and a prisoner exchange during Friday’s meeting, no significant progress was made. Meanwhile, Russian aerial attacks have continued across Ukraine.
According to local officials, the drone strike occurred early Saturday in the town of Bilopillia, located in the Sumy region. Oleh Hrihorov, head of Sumy’s regional military administration, confirmed that three of the seven injured victims are in critical condition.
Ukraine’s National Police condemned the incident, calling it a “cynical war crime” and stating that the drone targeted a civilian vehicle. Graphic photos released by police showed a severely damaged van with large holes torn through the body and shattered windows.
Russian authorities have not commented on the specific claim that a civilian bus was struck. However, Russia’s state-run news agency TASS, citing the defense ministry, reported that Russian drones targeted a Ukrainian military equipment site in the Sumy region.
Both Ukraine and Russia have repeatedly accused each other of deliberately attacking civilians, allegations both sides deny.
Ukrainian officials stated that at least 13 people were killed and more than 38 wounded in Russian attacks across the country over the last 24 hours. This includes casualties in Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Kherson regions.
The peace talks on Friday in Istanbul were hosted by Turkey and marked the first in-person meeting between Russian and Ukrainian delegations since the early stages of the conflict. Neither Russian President Vladimir Putin nor Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attended. Instead, lower-level officials represented both sides.
During the negotiations, Russia reportedly insisted that Ukraine relinquish territory still under its control, a demand Kyiv has repeatedly rejected. Leaders from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Poland criticized Moscow’s position, calling it “unacceptable.”
On Saturday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov suggested that a meeting between Zelensky and Putin could take place if preliminary agreements are reached through ongoing negotiations. He also mentioned that Moscow is preparing a list of conditions for a potential ceasefire, which it plans to share with Ukraine.
Kyiv and its Western allies have consistently pushed for an unconditional ceasefire, accusing Russia of stalling peace efforts for strategic advantage.
Meanwhile, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced on social media that he plans to call President Putin at 10 a.m. on Monday in an effort to broker a ceasefire agreement. He also intends to speak with Zelensky and NATO leaders afterward. Earlier this week, Trump stated that he believes real progress in peace talks is unlikely without a direct conversation between himself and Putin.
Source: CNN
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