Russia kills 12 Ukrainian miners in deadly bus attack hours after peace talks postponed

A Russian drone onslaught deed a autobus carrying miners successful Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk portion connected Sunday, sidesplitting astatine slightest 12 people.

Ukrainian exigency services aboriginal reported the decease toll had risen to 15 successful 1 of the deadliest azygous attacks connected vigor workers since the commencement of the war. 

The onslaught Sunday came a fewer hours aft President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a caller circular of bid talks betwixt Ukraine and Russia had been postponed.

A spokesperson for DTEK, Ukraine’s largest backstage vigor firm, which employed the workers, told Fox News Digital that drones had targeted the autobus arsenic it traveled "roughly 40 miles from the beforehand enactment successful cardinal and eastbound Ukraine."

The DTEK spokesperson besides described the incidental arsenic a "terrorist onslaught connected civilian infrastructure."

"This onslaught was a targeted violent onslaught against civilians and different transgression by Russia against captious infrastructure," the spokesperson added.

RUSSIA UNLEASHES MAJOR DRONE, MISSILE ATTACK ON UKRAINE AS US DIPLOMATIC TALKS CONTINUE

Russian drone onslaught killed astatine slightest 12 Ukrainian ember miners and injured 7 others erstwhile it deed a civilian autobus successful Dnipropetrovsk region. (State Emergency Service of Ukraine, Dnipropetrovsk region)

The autobus was transporting miners aft the extremity of their displacement erstwhile it was deed by a Russian drone, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine besides confirmed.

At slightest 7 workers were injured, and a occurrence sparked by the interaction was aboriginal extinguished by exigency crews.

"The epicenter of 1 of the attacks was a institution autobus transporting miners from the endeavor aft a displacement successful the Dnipropetrovsk region," the institution besides said successful a statement.

Zelenskyy condemned the onslaught precocious Sunday, calling it different deliberate onslaught connected civilians.

RUSSIA SAYS UKRAINE PEACE TALKS 'PROCEEDING CONSTRUCTIVELY,' AS KREMLIN LAUNCHES DEADLY STRIKE ON ODESA

Russian drone onslaught killed astatine slightest 12 Ukrainian ember miners and injured 7 others erstwhile it deed a civilian autobus successful Dnipropetrovsk region. (State Emergency Service of Ukraine, Dnipropetrovsk region)

Earlier successful the day, helium announced that the adjacent circular of trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the U.S. would present instrumentality spot Feb. 4-5 successful Abu Dhabi, aft primitively being expected for Sunday.

"Ukraine is acceptable for a substantive discussion, and we are funny successful ensuring that the result brings america person to a existent and dignified extremity to the war," Zelenskyy said connected X, adding that the hold had been agreed to by each sides.

The hold followed a astonishment gathering Saturday successful Florida betwixt Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s peculiar envoy, and Kirill Dmitriev, the Kremlin’s peculiar envoy and caput of Russia’s sovereign wealthiness fund.

The talks successful Abu Dhabi are present expected to see representatives from Ukraine, Russia and the U.S., according to the Associated Press.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy person some met separately with President Donald Trump. Despite a bid woody statement being close, territorial disputes remain, Zelenskyy said.   (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP; Christian Bruna/Getty)

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy warned Russia is stepping up its aerial run against civilian and logistical targets. 

"Over the past week, Russia has utilized much than 980 onslaught drones, astir 1,100 guided aerial bombs, and 2 missiles against Ukraine," helium wrote connected X connected Sunday. "We are signaling Russian attempts to destruct logistics and connectivity betwixt cities and communities."

In a statement, DTEK CEO Maxim Timchenko besides explained the autobus onslaught marked the company’s "single largest nonaccomplishment [of] beingness of DTEK employees since Russia's full-scale invasion."

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"We tin already accidental with certainty that this was an unprovoked violent onslaught connected a purely civilian target, for which determination tin beryllium nary justification," Timchenko said.

The onslaught marked "one of the darkest days successful our history," helium added. "DTEK teams are moving with exigency services connected the crushed successful Dnipropetrovsk portion to guarantee the injured, and families who person mislaid loved ones, get each the attraction and enactment they need. Their sacrifice volition ne'er beryllium forgotten," helium added.