A Russian drone strike on Saturday killed nine civilians travelling in a minibus in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region, according to local military officials.
Authorities described the assault as a “cynical attack” targeting a civilian vehicle and confirmed the incident through a statement on Telegram. Initial reports indicated eight fatalities, but the toll was later revised to nine.
The message included a photograph showing the shattered remains of a blue minibus believed to have borne the brunt of the explosion.
Four others sustained injuries in the attack, which occurred near the town of Bilopillya as the bus was en route to the city of Sumy.
This strike occurred just hours after long-awaited peace talks between Russia and Ukraine took place in Istanbul, marking their first direct negotiations in nearly three years.
While both parties agreed to a sizable prisoner swap of 1,000 detainees each, no ceasefire was established.
Ukrainian officials reiterated their demand for an unconditional truce to halt the ongoing war, which has ravaged cities and forced millions to flee. However, Moscow dismissed the proposal, with no immediate progress toward ending the conflict.
Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov mentioned that further talks could involve a direct meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Meanwhile, discussions have also emerged about a potential dialogue between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump.