At least 15 individuals lost their lives, and seven others sustained injuries when a Russian drone targeted a bus transporting miners in the southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine, as confirmed by energy company DTEK and government authorities on Sunday. The incident occurred shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed plans for a second round of trilateral talks mediated by the U.S. between Ukraine and Russia scheduled for the following week.
DTEK issued a statement attributing the attack to Russian forces, describing it as a “massive terrorist act” directed at a company mine in the region. All the deceased and injured individuals were employees of the company returning from their shift. Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal condemned the attack as a cynical and deliberate assault on energy sector workers in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
The assault took place in the city of Ternivka, according to police reports. Footage released by the State Emergencies Service displayed a burnt bus with broken windows that had veered off the road. Simultaneously, in southeastern Ukraine, two individuals perished in a drone strike on a residential building in Dnipro, while at least nine people sustained injuries in Russian strikes on a maternity hospital and a residential structure in Zaporizhzhia.
President Zelenskyy announced that the upcoming U.S.-backed trilateral talks involving Ukraine and Russia would occur in Abu Dhabi next week, amid concerns over the status of an energy ceasefire with Russia during severe winter conditions. Amidst ongoing Russian airstrikes, Kyiv faces pressure to secure peace in the long-standing conflict. The previous talks in January yielded no progress on territorial disputes, with Moscow persisting in its demand for land concessions from Kyiv.
Zelenskyy disclosed that the forthcoming talks are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, emphasizing Ukraine’s readiness for meaningful discussions to achieve a dignified end to the war. In Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that 1,000 residential buildings were still without heating due to a grid malfunction exacerbated by the cold weather, with temperatures expected to plummet further. The disruptions highlighted the country’s energy system’s vulnerability following repeated Russian attacks.
Despite the temporary suspension of strikes on energy infrastructure, the fallout from the malfunction extended to Moldova, emphasizing the system’s fragility. Zelenskyy cautioned that Russia was targeting connectivity between cities and communities through ongoing air assaults. Private energy firm DTEK announced the restoration of power to 300,000 households in Odesa, while the grid operator, Ukrenergo, implemented planned outages nationwide.
Amidst uncertainties, a local resident expressed skepticism regarding the peace process, underscoring the ongoing need for resilience in the face of potential threats.
