Russian drone kills 12 Ukrainian miners in bus attack in Dnipropetrovsk

At least 12 people died in a Russian drone attack on a bus carrying miners in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region on Sunday.

Ukrainian emergency services later reported that the death toll had risen to 15 in one of the deadliest attacks on energy workers since the beginning of the war.

The attack on Sunday took place just hours after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the postponement of a new round of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.

A spokesperson for DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company that employs workers, told Fox News Digital that the bus, which was traveling “about 40 miles from the front line in central and eastern Ukraine,” was targeted by drones.

A DTEK spokesman also described the incident as a “terrorist attack on civilian infrastructure”.

“This attack is a targeted terrorist attack against civilians and another crime committed by Russia against critical infrastructure,” the spokesman said.

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The bus carrying the miners was hit by a Russian drone after their shift ended. State Emergency Service of Ukraine also confirmed.

While at least 7 workers were injured, the fire that broke out due to the impact was later extinguished by emergency teams.

The company also said in a statement: “The epicenter of one of the attacks was a company bus transporting miners from the enterprise after shift in the Dnipropetrovsk region.” he said.

Zelenskyy condemned the attack late Sunday, saying it was another deliberate attack on civilians.

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At least 12 Ukrainian coal miners died and seven others were injured when a Russian unmanned aerial vehicle crashed into a civilian bus in the Dnipropetrovsk region. (State Emergency Service of Ukraine, Dnipropetrovsk region)

Earlier in the day, Ukraine announced that the next round of trilateral talks involving Russia and the United States, originally expected to be held on Sunday, will now be held in Abu Dhabi on February 4-5.

“Ukraine is ready for a comprehensive discussion, and we are interested in ensuring that the outcome brings us closer to a real and honorable end of the war,” Zelenskyy told X, adding that the delay was accepted by all parties.

The delay follows a surprise meeting in Florida on Saturday between President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Kirill Dmitriev, the Kremlin’s special envoy and head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund.

Representatives from Ukraine, Russia and the USA are now expected to attend the talks in Abu Dhabi. Associated Press.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met separately with President Donald Trump. Zelenskyy said that although a peace agreement is close, territorial disputes continue. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP; Christian Bruna/Getty)

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy warned that Russia was stepping up air strikes against civilian and logistical targets.

“Last week, Russia used more than 980 attack aircraft, nearly 1,100 guided aerial bombs and two missiles against Ukraine,” he wrote on X on Sunday. “We are recording Russia’s attempts to destroy logistics and connectivity between cities and communities.”

DTEK CEO Maxim Timchenko also stated in his statement that the bus attack was the company’s “biggest single loss” [of] The life of DTEK employees since Russia’s large-scale invasion.”

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“We can already say with certainty that this was an unprovoked, unprovoked terrorist attack aimed at a completely civilian target,” Timchenko said. he said.

He added that the attack was “one of the darkest days in our history.” “DTEK teams are working with emergency services in the Dnipropetrovsk region to ensure that the injured and families who lost loved ones receive all the care and support they need. Their sacrifices will never be forgotten,” he added.