Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned the “deliberate killing of civilians” after a Russian drone strike hit a passenger bus in the northeastern Sumy region, killing nine people and injuring seven others.
The attack took place just hours after Russia and Ukraine held their first direct peace talks in more than three years — a meeting in Turkey on Friday that failed to produce a temporary ceasefire.
In a statement, Zelensky said: “There are currently seven wounded people in hospitals following a Russian drone strike on an ordinary passenger bus. The victims have suffered burns, fractures, and blast injuries.”
He added: “According to preliminary reports, [Russia] killed a family — a father, mother, and daughter. All the deceased were civilians. And the Russians could not have failed to understand what kind of vehicle they were targeting. This was a deliberate killing of civilians.”
Ukraine’s National Police earlier called the attack a “cynical war crime,” posting graphic images of a dark blue van with its roof torn off and windows blown out.
The Ukrainian military said the vehicle was a civilian passenger bus. However, Russia’s TASS state news agency cited the country’s defence ministry as claiming that the drone strike had targeted a Ukrainian military equipment staging area in the region.
The strike is the latest in a series of deadly escalations even as diplomatic talks between the two sides begin to resume.
Commander Ihor Tkachenko, head of Sumy’s military administration, confirmed: “Medics and rescuers have been urgently sent to the scene.”
There has been no further comment from Moscow.
