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A Russian drone strike on a civilian bus in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region has killed three women and injured several others, according to local officials. The attack, which occurred on Sunday afternoon, is the latest in a wave of deadly assaults targeting Ukrainian civilians in recent weeks.
Sumy’s regional prosecutor’s office confirmed the incident on Telegram, stating, “The enemy attacked a bus with civilians using a drone.” Photographs shared by the office showed the mangled remains of the vehicle. All three victims were women, aged between 66 and 78.
Russia has dramatically increased its use of drones and missiles in recent weeks, launching near-daily attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, resulting in dozens of civilian deaths.
In response, Ukraine has stepped up its retaliatory operations across the border. On Sunday, a man was killed and three others injured in Russia’s Leningrad region after debris from a downed drone sparked a fire, according to the local governor Aleksandr Drozdenko.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to bring the war to an end appear to have stalled. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed a desire to meet Russian leader Vladimir Putin for talks by the end of August. However, the Kremlin has dismissed the likelihood of such a summit happening any time soon.
Talks between the two sides have repeatedly faltered, with Ukraine accusing Russia of only sending low-ranking representatives without the authority to make meaningful decisions. At the heart of the impasse is Russia’s demand that Ukraine cede four territories which Moscow claims to have annexed — a proposal Kyiv has firmly rejected as unacceptable.
Ukraine continues to appeal to its Western allies for increased military support to help repel the ongoing Russian offensive and protect its population from frequent aerial attacks.
