Horrific Attack: Russian Drone Kills 9 Civilians Aboard Bus in Ukraine

Civilian Bus Attacked in Ukraine: Nine Killed

Tragedy struck in northeastern Ukraine on Saturday when a Russian drone attack targeted a civilian minibus, killing nine people and injuring seven others. The incident occurred in the town of Bilopillia as the bus was traveling to Sumy, the regional capital, near the Russian border.

Ukrainian officials, including Sumy’s regional head Oleh Hryhorov, condemned the attack, calling it “inhumane.” Hryhorov stated that the bus was hit by a Russian Lancet drone at 6:17 am local time (3:17 am GMT).

Zelensky Condemns ‘Deliberate Killing’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was outraged by the attack, stating that it was a “deliberate killing of civilians.” He pointed out that Russian forces “could not help but understand what kind of vehicle they were hitting.” Zelensky also shared the heartbreaking news that a family, consisting of a mother, father, and their daughter, were among those killed in the attack.

Talks in Istanbul Yield Prisoner Swap, No Breakthrough

This devastating attack came just hours after Ukraine and Russia held their first face-to-face talks in over three years in Istanbul, Turkey. While the talks did not result in a significant breakthrough in ending the war, both sides agreed to a prisoner exchange, with each side returning 1,000 prisoners of war in the coming days.

President Zelensky expressed his belief that there was always an opportunity to cease fire, stating that “Ukraine has been offering this for a long time.”

Russia Claims Military Target

Russia has yet to officially comment on the attack. However, state media reported that Russian forces had targeted a “military staging area” in the Sumy province.