Russian Drone Strike Kills Nine In Ukraine Amid Fragile Peace Talks

 

At least nine civilians were killed and seven others injured in a Russian drone attack on a bus in northeastern Ukraine on Saturday, according to Ukrainian officials. The strike occurred in Bilopillia, located in the Sumy region, just hours after the first direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in over three years.

The drone assault targeted a civilian vehicle, local authorities said. Oleh Hrihorov, head of Sumy’s military administration, confirmed that three of the injured are in critical condition. Ukraine’s National Police condemned the attack as a “cynical war crime,” emphasizing that the bus was not a military target.

Images released by Ukrainian police showed a severely damaged van with gaping holes in the passenger area and shattered windows, underscoring the attack’s brutality.

Russia has yet to respond to Ukraine’s allegations. However, Russian state media reported that the country’s forces had used drones to strike a Ukrainian military equipment staging area in the Sumy region around the same time.

The incident adds to a grim tally of casualties from the past 24 hours, during which Ukrainian authorities say at least 13 people were killed and more than 38 injured across the country. Among the fatalities were two people in Donetsk, one in Kharkiv, and one in Kherson.

Friday’s meeting in Istanbul, hosted by Turkey, marked a tentative return to diplomacy but yielded no major progress. Neither Russian President Vladimir Putin nor Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attended the talks. Russia was represented by a junior delegation, and Zelensky has made it clear he will only engage directly with Putin.

One major sticking point emerged during the negotiations: Russia reportedly demanded Ukraine cede territory still under Kyiv’s control—a demand Ukraine flatly rejected. Western leaders, including those from the UK, France, Germany, and Poland, criticized the Russian proposal as unacceptable.

On Saturday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov suggested that a potential meeting between Zelensky and Putin remains on the table, but only if certain conditions are agreed upon during future delegation-level talks. He also mentioned preparations for a list of ceasefire terms that would be shared with Ukraine.

Despite the resumed dialogue, Ukrainian officials and their allies remain skeptical. They argue that Russia’s ongoing military aggression undermines the peace process and accuse Moscow of stalling genuine efforts toward a truce.

As the violence continues and diplomatic efforts falter, the road to peace in Ukraine remains uncertain.