Russian Drone Strike on Civilian Bus in Ukraine's Sumy Region Kills Nine, Wounds Four

At least nine civilians lost their lives and four others were injured after a Russian drone targeted a civilian bus in Ukraine's northern Sumy region on Saturday, local officials confirmed.

The Sumy Regional Military Administration described the attack as a “cynical” strike against unarmed civilians. In a statement issued on Telegram, the administration said, “Unfortunately, as a result of a cynical attack by Russians on a bus with civilians, there are dead.”

The attack occurred near the city of Bilopillya, with the bus en route to Sumy when it was hit. Initial reports indicated eight fatalities, but the death toll later increased to nine as more information became available.

This tragic incident came just hours after Russia and Ukraine concluded their first round of direct talks in nearly three years, held in Istanbul on Friday. While no ceasefire was achieved, both nations agreed to a large-scale prisoner exchange, each committing to release 1,000 detainees. However, the discussions yielded little progress on halting the ongoing conflict.

Ukrainian Defense Minister and chief negotiator Rustem Umerov reiterated Kyiv’s call for an “unconditional ceasefire” to end the war that has ravaged Ukraine and displaced millions. Despite this appeal, Moscow has not agreed to any truce terms so far.

Looking ahead, Umerov stated that the next logical step in the peace process would be a face-to-face meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Meanwhile, discussions are reportedly underway about a potential diplomatic summit involving U.S. President Donald Trump and President Putin, as Washington signals interest in mediating the conflict.

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