At least nine civilians were killed and seven others injured when a Russian drone targeted a passenger bus in north-eastern Ukraine on Saturday morning, according to local authorities.

The attack occurred in the town of Bilopillia in the Sumy region, near the Russian border, as the bus was en route to the regional capital. 

Regional governor Oleh Hryhorov confirmed that a Russian Lancet drone struck the vehicle at approximately 6:17am local time (03:17 GMT), calling the incident “inhumane.”

Ukraine’s national police condemned the strike as a “cynical war crime,” accusing Moscow of deliberately targeting civilians in violation of international humanitarian law. In an official statement, police said: “The Russian army once again attacked a civilian target, showing complete disregard for legal norms and basic humanity.”

While Russian officials have not directly addressed the incident, they claimed to have hit a military site in the Sumy region.

The deadly strike came just hours after Russia and Ukraine held their first face-to-face peace discussions since 2022 in Istanbul. 

Although no substantial progress was made, both sides agreed to a reciprocal exchange of 1,000 prisoners of war.

Despite the talks, tensions remain high. Ukraine has recently used the Sumy region as a launch point for operations into Russia’s Kursk territory. 

In response, Moscow has intensified cross-border assaults, including a wave of drone strikes earlier this week that killed three people and wounded nine more, Ukrainian officials said.

As diplomatic efforts continue, Kyiv reiterated its demand for a full and unconditional ceasefire. Ukraine also called for direct negotiations between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin—a proposal Moscow has acknowledged but not yet acted upon.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that progress would only occur through a personal meeting with Putin.

Source: BBC

SMS/