Brutal murder: family in Sumy region killed in a minibus that served as evacuation transport
On the morning of June 17, a tragic incident occurred in the Sumy region, which deeply affected Ukrainian society and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. According to him, Russian occupiers cynically and intentionally carried out an attack on civilian transportation, resulting in the death of an entire family who was traveling for evacuation purposes. This incident once again reminds everyone of the cynicism and mercilessness of Russian aggression, and underscores the need to strengthen international pressure on the Kremlin. According to official information announced by the head of state, as a result of the Russian strike on the minibus traveling as part of an evacuation operation, the father, mother, and their 12-year-old daughter were killed. An additional seven people were injured of varying severity: burns, fractures, concussions. Currently, medics are fighting for the lives of the victims in regional hospitals, and all are in a stable yet serious condition. Zelenskyy emphasized that this crime was deliberate and conscious. "All those killed are civilians who were riding on a regular route. the Russians could not have been unaware that this was civilian transport, not military targets. It was a conscious and cynical murder of people simply trying to escape the war," the Ukrainian president stressed. In his speech, a bitter truth was voiced: such an attack is completely targeted specifically at peaceful civilians, and it is yet another evidence of the unprecedented brutality of Russia’s occupation policies. Source: Presidential press center and official statements by Zelenskyy Amidst this tragedy, the Ukrainian leader called for increased international pressure on the Russian Federation. He emphasized the need to activate diplomatic measures and strengthen sanctions regime to compel the Kremlin to stop this humanitarian catastrophe that is taking the lives of ordinary Ukrainians. According to Zelenskyy, the world must not remain indifferent to such crimes, and the international community must act as a united front. Overall, this tragedy has become yet another painful reminder of the cost for Ukraine in this war, and of the fact that the enemy’s actions are not limited to military operations — they deliberately target civilians. Recall that a few days earlier, near the city of Bilopilly in the Sumy region, Russian troops used a "Lancet" drone to attack a passenger bus. As a result of this incident, nine people were killed, including several adults and an infant. It was later clarified that this bus was an evacuation vehicle, aimed at helping civilians in the difficult conditions of war. These crimes highlight the inhumanity of Moscow’s occupation policy and once again remind us of the necessity of comprehensive support and international solidarity in the fight against Russian aggression. Ukraine calls on the world not to forget this tragedy and to act decisively to prevent further losses and stop the external aggressive invasion that has claimed the lives of many civilians.