A Russian strike on a Ukrainian civilian bus is said to have killed nine people

According to local officials, a Russian drone strike on a passenger bus in northeastern Ukraine has killed nine passengers. 

Four other persons were hurt in the town of Bilopillia on Saturday morning, according to the Sumy regional military administration.

Police, emergency services workers, and medics are currently on the scene. 

Hours after Russia and Ukraine began their first direct peace negotiations since 2022, the claimed incident occurred.

The Sumy regional military administration wrote on Telegram: "A commuter bus near Bilopillya was struck by an enemy drone, resulting in nine fatalities and four injuries." 

The bus was on its way to Sumy, the provincial capital, it added.

Oleh Hryhorov, the regional leader of Sumy, called the Russian strike "inhumane" un a video message. 

He cited early reports that a Russian Lancet drone struck the bus at 06:17 local time on Saturday (03:17 GMT).

On the matter, the Russian military has remained silent. 

Russia and Ukraine are still at odds on how to end the war, and Friday's negotiations in Istanbul, Turkey, failed to produce any breakthrough. 

Nonetheless, it was decided that 1,000 POWs would be returned to each side over the course of the next few days. 

In February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.