Deadly Drone Strike Halts Peace Talks in Ukraine

In the northeastern Sumy region of Ukraine, a Russian drone strike targeted a bus full of civilians. The bus was evacuating people from a dangerous front-line area. This attack killed nine people and injured seven others. Among the injured, three were in critical condition. The strike occurred in Bilopillia, a town near the Russian border. The local governor and national police reported these details. However, these reports could not be independently verified. Moscow has not commented on the incident. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, called the attack a deliberate killing of civilians. He questioned how Russia could not know they were targeting a bus. Zelenskyy also expressed disappointment over the failed peace talks. He had hoped for a full and unconditional ceasefire to save lives. Instead, he believes Russia only wants to continue the conflict. The British foreign secretary, David Lammy, condemned the attack. He stated that if Russia is serious about peace, it must agree to an immediate ceasefire. This is what Ukraine and its Western allies have been pushing for. The town of Bilopillia declared a period of mourning until Monday. The local community leader called it "Black Saturday. " The injured were taken to a hospital in Sumy, the regional capital. The passengers on the bus were being evacuated from Bilopillia when the strike happened. Authorities are working to identify the victims, most of whom were elderly women. Meanwhile, Russia's defense ministry claimed its forces hit a military target in the Sumy region. This was about 50 kilometers southeast of Bilopillia. They did not mention any other attacks in the area. Ukrainian forces have been advancing into Russian territory in the Kursk region. This is just north of Bilopillia. A Washington-based think tank reported this movement. The Institute for the Study of War said Ukrainian troops had advanced south of the Russian border village of Tyotkino. Russia had previously claimed to have fully reclaimed the Kursk region. However, Ukrainian officials say fighting in Kursk is still ongoing. Russian shelling, drones, and airstrikes killed at least five other civilians on Friday and overnight. This happened across Ukraine's Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Kherson regions. Russian forces also launched 62 drones, according to Ukraine's air force. They said 36 of the drones were shot down and six more veered off course. This was likely due to electronic jamming. The impact of these events on peace efforts remains uncertain. The recent drone strike and failed peace talks have raised questions about the future of the conflict.