Russian strike on civilian bus in northern Ukraine kills 9

Nine other people have been killed in a Russian drone assault on a minibus sporting civilians in Ukraine’s northern Sumy area on Saturday, the native army management mentioned, hours after Kyiv and Moscow held their first direct peace talks since 2022.

The bus, which was once attacked close to town of Bilopillya whilst travelling against Sumy, was once “targeted by the Russians”, the army management mentioned.

“Unfortunately, as a result of a cynical attack by Russians on a bus with civilians, there are dead,” the management mentioned, including later: “Unfortunately, the death toll has risen to nine.

Four people were wounded in the attack, the administration said.

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 warfare, which has destroyed huge swathes of Ukraine and displaced thousands and thousands of other people.

But Moscow has constantly rebuffed the ones calls and the one concrete settlement looked to be the deal to interchange 1,000 prisoners every.

After the assembly, Volodymyr Zelenskyy renewed his requires sanctions on Moscow if it did not comply with 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 mentioned on X.

“Pressure on Russia must be maintained until Russia is ready to end the war.”

Ukraine’s most sensible negotiator, defence minister Rustem Umerov, mentioned the “next step” could be a gathering between the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and Zelenskyy.

Both Moscow and Washington have additionally talked up the desire for a gathering at the warfare between Putin and the United States president, Donald Trump.