Russian Drone Strike Kills Civilians on Bus in Ukraine's Sumy Region

Russian Drone Strike Kills Civilians in Ukraine

At least nine people were killed and four others wounded when a Russian drone targeted a civilian bus in Ukraine's northern Sumy region, according to local authorities.

The Sumy regional military administration described the incident as a “cynical attack” on civilians in a statement.

Details of the Attack

The bus, which was attacked near the city of Bilopillya while travelling towards Sumy, was targeted by the Russians.

Diplomatic Efforts

The blast came hours after Russia and Ukraine concluded their first direct talks in almost three years in Istanbul on Friday, but without a significant breakthrough. The two sides agreed a large-scale prisoner exchange but no ceasefire.

Ukraine Seeks Ceasefire

Kyiv said it was seeking an "unconditional ceasefire" to pause the conflict, which has destroyed large swathes of Ukraine and displaced millions of people.

Potential Future Meetings

Ukraine's top negotiator, defence minister Rustem Umerov, said that the "next step" would be a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.