On Saturday morning, nine Ukrainian civilians trying to escape the relentless Russian artillery fire were killed in a drone strike. This attack occurred just hours after a proposed ceasefire attempt fell apart.
The victims, which included families and several elderly women, were on buses evacuating from the northeastern city of Smee following a series of assaults involving Russian missiles, drones, and glide bombs.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and local officials accused Russia of intentionally targeting civilian areas.
“This is another war crime by Russia,” noted Smie Regional Jan in a telegram post. “A deliberate strike on civilian transport that’s not a threat.”
The incident took place in Bilopiria, a village within Smie, not far from the Russian border. Mayor Yuri Zarko designated May 17 as the start of a 19-day mourning period, labeling it “Black Saturday.”
Local military reports stated that Russian forces fired 85 shells across multiple villages on the same morning.
Various buildings, including homes and infrastructure, were damaged or destroyed as a result of the bombardment, according to military officials.
At least five individuals were reported killed in different attacks across Donetsk, Harkiv, and Harson regions on that day.
This strike came shortly after a highly publicized conference in Istanbul between Russian and Ukrainian officials—the first in-person dialogue since the early phase of the conflict in Ukraine.
Although Russian President Vladimir Putin initially suggested meeting with Zelensky, he later decided against attending himself, sending a delegation in his place instead.
The two leaders have not convened since 2019, and the Russian side has outlined demands for four major cities from Ukraine as a condition for a temporary ceasefire.
Zelensky remarked, “Yesterday, at any point during this war, I was ready to halt the fire.” He emphasized the need for a complete and unconditional ceasefire to save lives, asserting, “Russia only seeks to continue its aggression.”
Both parties reached an agreement on the largest prisoner exchange seen since the war began.
A spokesperson for the Kremlin mentioned that a face-to-face meeting between Putin and Zelensky remains a possibility, contingent on both delegations reaching an agreement.
However, the Kremlin has indicated that Putin would expect to meet first with Trump, who stated plans to discuss the situation with the Russian leader soon.
Trump indicated he hoped for a productive day ahead, suggesting a ceasefire might be achieved and describing the conflict as “a war that should never have happened.”
He also mentioned that their discussions would encompass trade matters, as well as contacting Zelensky and NATO members.
Shortly before this, Trump had warned during a Fox News interview that severe sanctions would ensue against Russia if the war were not resolved.
