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1 February, 19:37
News

Russian strike on a bus transporting miners kills at least 15

At least 15 people have been killed and eight others injured after a Russian drone attacked a bus in Ukraine’s southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region on Sunday, energy company, DTEK, reported.

The DTEK said in a statement that Russian troops launched a "massive terrorist attack" on a company mine in Pavlohrad district in Dnipropetrovsk, and the casualties were its employees returning from ‍a shift. Regional governor Oleksandr Ganzha confirmed the deadly attack that triggered a fire, which has since been extinguished. Video footage shared by the State Emergency Service captures the aftermath of the deadly attack on the bus, with shattered windows veered off the road.

Ukrainian Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal described the attack as a "cynical and targeted attack" on the country's energy sector as the country is battling one of the coldest winters in recent history. Amid the below zero temperatures, Ukraine has been subjected to relentless Russian strikes targeting its energy grid, including power plants, substations, transmission lines, and heating facilities, causing disruptions to energy and heat supplies and harming civilians.

Sunday’s deadly attack targeting the employees of the energy firm follows remarks by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy earlier that day that Russia was targeting the country’s logistics despite the agreement that the Kremlin would not strike Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Over the past week, Russia launched air strikes on energy assets in Ukrainian city of Odessa and Kharkiv.

In a separate attack on Sunday, Russia hit a maternity hospital and a residential building in southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, injuring at least nine people. Yet another air strike on eastern Dnipropetrovsk region on the night leading to Sunday, killed two people.

It should be noted that Ukraine and Russia agreed to mutually halt hostilities for a week until February upon US President Donald Trump’s request. Delegations from two countries are set to meet for a third round of trilateral talks with the participation of the United States next week.