Nine individuals lost their lives in a Russian drone strike targeting a minibus filled with civilians in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region, according to the local military administration.
Additionally, four people sustained injuries in the incident, as reported by the administration.
Earlier reports indicated that the death toll stood at eight.
The bus was struck near the city of Bilopillya while en route to Sumy, with the military administration asserting that it was “targeted by the Russians.”
The two parties reached an agreement on a substantial prisoner swap but did not establish a ceasefire, instead pledging to exchange ideas regarding a potential truce.
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Following the discussions, Ukraine expressed its desire for an “unconditional ceasefire” to halt the conflict, which has ravaged large areas of Ukraine and caused the displacement of millions.
However, Moscow has repeatedly dismissed these appeals, with the only tangible outcome being a pact to exchange 1,000 prisoners from each side.
Ukraine’s lead negotiator, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, indicated that the “next step” would involve a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.
Both Moscow and Washington have also emphasized the importance of a meeting between Mr. Putin and US President Donald Trump to discuss the conflict.
In other developments, Ukrainian drones targeted an ammunition depot in Russia-occupied Crimea, resulting in a significant explosion at storage facilities housing military gear, weapons, and fuel, as reported by a source in Ukraine’s security service.
The source noted that the depot belonged to the 126th brigade of Russia’s Coastal Defence and was situated in the village of Perevalne on the southern Black Sea peninsula.
Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.
