On the morning of 17 May, a Russian missile strike targeted a civilian passenger bus in the Bilopillia community of Sumy region, killing at least nine people and injuring seven others. The attack is the latest in a series of brutal assaults by the Russian dictator’s forces that have deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.
Rescue teams from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (DSNS) arrived quickly at the scene and worked under dangerous conditions to recover the bodies from the wreckage. Additional emergency response units were deployed from the regional centre to assist in the complex rescue and recovery operation.
Footage from the aftermath shows rescuers using specialised cutting tools to free passengers from the twisted remains of the bus, which was torn apart in the explosion. The vehicle had been operating a scheduled route when it came under direct fire.
Local police were also present and have opened an investigation into the strike, which is believed to have been carried out using guided aerial weapons. Ukrainian officials have condemned the attack as yet another war crime committed by Kremlin forces, who continue to ignore international humanitarian laws by striking unarmed civilians.
This latest act of terror adds to the growing evidence of the Russian dictator’s campaign of targeted violence against Ukrainians across the country. Despite repeated calls for restraint by the international community, the Kremlin continues to launch attacks that serve no military purpose other than spreading fear among Ukraine’s population.
Ukrainian authorities have vowed that justice will be pursued for the victims and that their deaths will not be forgotten. The bus was not near any military installation, and no armed personnel were onboard, reinforcing the view that the strike was intentionally aimed at ordinary citizens going about their daily lives.
