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Russian strike on civilian bus in northern Ukraine kills nine Russian strike on civilian bus in northern Ukraine kills nine
(about 2 hours later)
The attack on the northern Sumy region comes hours after Kyiv and Moscow concluded talks in IstanbulThe attack on the northern Sumy region comes hours after Kyiv and Moscow concluded talks in Istanbul
Nine people were killed in a Russian drone attack on a minibus carrying civilians in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region on Saturday, the local military administration said, hours after Kyiv and Moscow held their first direct peace talks since 2022. Nine people have been killed in a Russian drone attack on a minibus that local authorities say was evacuating civilians in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region.
The bus, which was attacked near the city of Bilopillya while travelling towards Sumy, was “targeted by the Russians”, the military administration said. Local authorities indicated some of those inside the minibus were being evacuated from Bilopillya, a town in the Sumy region that has come under repeated Russian attack.
“Unfortunately, as a result of a cynical attack by Russians on a bus with civilians, there are dead,” the administration said, adding later: “Unfortunately, the death toll has risen to nine. The strike on the bus on Saturday morning with at least one Lancet drone, also injured four other passengers and came just hours after the first direct peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow since 2022 broke up inconclusively after two hours.
Four people were wounded in the attack, the administration said. Images from the attack showed the bus on a country road with its roof ripped off by the blast.
The blast came hours after Russia and Ukraine concluded their first direct talks in almost three years in Istanbul without a significant breakthrough. Residents in Bilopillya – about 6 miles (10km) from the frontline – and the nearby town of Vorozhba were urged to relocate on 5 May because of continued Russian shelling, and daily bus evacuations have been ongoing since then.
The two sides agreed a large-scale prisoner exchange but no ceasefire, saying instead they would commit to trade ideas on a possible truce. “This is another war crime by Russia – a deliberate strike on civilian transport that posed no threat,” the Sumy regional administration said in a post on the Telegram messaging app.
The bus was travelling towards Sumy at about 6am when it was “targeted by the Russians”, the military administration added.
“The bus was moving to Sumy on its usual route when Russia launched a targeted strike,” Serhiy Kryvosheenko, head of the Sumy city military administration, said on Telegram.
Several Ukrainian media sites said the majority of those killed were elderly women, although the Guardian could not immediately verify the claim.
The blast came hours after Russia and Ukraine concluded their first direct talks in almost three years in Istanbul without a significant breakthrough. The two sides agreed a large-scale prisoner exchange but no ceasefire, saying instead they would commit to trade ideas on a possible truce.
After the talks, Kyiv said it was seeking an “unconditional ceasefire” to pause the conflict, which has destroyed large swathes of Ukraine and displaced millions of people.After the talks, Kyiv said it was seeking an “unconditional ceasefire” to pause the conflict, which has destroyed large swathes of Ukraine and displaced millions of people.
But Moscow has consistently rebuffed those calls and the only concrete agreement appeared to be the deal to exchange 1,000 prisoners each.But Moscow has consistently rebuffed those calls and the only concrete agreement appeared to be the deal to exchange 1,000 prisoners each.
After the meeting, Volodymyr Zelenskyy renewed his calls for sanctions on Moscow if it failed to agree to a ceasefire. “Our position – if the Russians reject a full and unconditional ceasefire and an end to killings, tough sanctions must follow,” the Ukrainian president said on X.After the meeting, Volodymyr Zelenskyy renewed his calls for sanctions on Moscow if it failed to agree to a ceasefire. “Our position – if the Russians reject a full and unconditional ceasefire and an end to killings, tough sanctions must follow,” the Ukrainian president said on X.
“Pressure on Russia must be maintained until Russia is ready to end the war.”“Pressure on Russia must be maintained until Russia is ready to end the war.”
Ukraine’s top negotiator, defence minister Rustem Umerov, said the “next step” would be a meeting between the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and Zelenskyy. Ukraine’s top negotiator, the defence minister Rustem Umerov, said the “next step” would be a meeting between the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and Zelenskyy.
Both Moscow and Washington have also talked up the need for a meeting on the conflict between Putin and the US president, Donald Trump.Both Moscow and Washington have also talked up the need for a meeting on the conflict between Putin and the US president, Donald Trump.