A Russian drone strike on a bus carrying civilians in northeastern Ukraine has resulted in the deaths of nine individuals and injuries to seven others, according to local officials. The attack occurred near the town of Bilopillia in Sumy Oblast, a Ukrainian region bordering Russia, and took place less than 24 hours after Ukrainian and Russian representatives held their first talks since the commencement of Moscow’s large-scale invasion over three years ago.
During the meeting in Istanbul, the two sides did not reach a peace agreement but agreed to exchange 1,000 war prisoners. The Ukrainian police confirmed the strike and released images showing the bus with its roof torn off due to the explosion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack as a deliberate act against civilians, stating in a post on X, “The Russians could not have failed to understand what kind of vehicle they were targeting. This was a deliberate killing of civilians.” He called for stronger sanctions against Moscow, asserting that “pressure must be exerted on Russia to stop the killings.” Zelenskyy further stated, “Without tougher sanctions, without stronger pressure, Russia will not seek real diplomacy.”
Oleh Hryhorov, the head of the local military administration in Bilopillia, reported the death toll on social media, noting that three of the injured individuals are in serious condition and labeling the incident as “another war crime by Russia.” Moscow did not immediately comment on the attack.
Meanwhile, Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for President Vladimir Putin, indicated that an in-person meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy remains “possible,” but only under certain unspecified conditions. He also commented on the prisoner swap, stating, “What the delegations agreed to yesterday remains to be done. Of course, it is primarily a question of exchanging 1,000 for 1,000 [prisoners].”
The two leaders have not met since December 2019, and the recent escalation highlights the ongoing challenges in achieving peace in the region.
