Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday called for an “immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire” following a deadly Russian drone strike on a civilian bus in the southern town of Marganets, which left nine dead and at least 49 others wounded.
Graphic images shared by Dnipropetrovsk Governor Sergiy Lysak showed the aftermath of the strike, with a large hole punctured through the roof of the bus and blood and shattered glass strewn across the floor. The attack sparked fresh outrage from Ukrainian authorities, who labeled it a deliberate war crime.
“This was an egregiously brutal attack and an absolutely deliberate war crime,” Zelensky wrote on social media. “In Ukraine, we insist on an immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire. Stopping the killings is the number one task.”
The Ukrainian leader also reiterated his call for an immediate cessation of hostilities against civilian targets, amid ongoing Russian aerial assaults. “We are also ready for an immediate ceasefire at least for civilian targets,” he added.
The attack comes just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a surprise Easter truce, which briefly reduced hostilities for about 30 hours. Kyiv and its Western allies, however, dismissed the gesture as a public relations stunt, questioning Moscow’s commitment to genuine peace efforts.
Despite the truce, Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched over 100 drones at Ukrainian territory between Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning. Fires and damage were reported across several regions including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Poltava, and Odesa.
In a related development, Zelensky’s top aides — including his chief of staff and ministers of defence and foreign affairs — were in London on Wednesday for high-level talks with allied nations. However, the meetings were somewhat dampened by the last-minute cancellation of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a key figure in transatlantic diplomacy.
Meanwhile, across the border in Russia, authorities reported that one person was injured in the Belgorod region due to Ukrainian shelling, underscoring the continued volatility of the conflict.
The international community continues to call for de-escalation, but both sides remain deeply entrenched, with little sign of immediate progress toward a lasting peace agreement.
