Local officials said nine people were killed in a Russian drone attack in northeastern Ukraine.

Regional military leaders said seven other people were injured in Bilopilia, Sumi, Saturday morning, when the minibus headed to the regional capital near the Russian border.

The report comes hours after Russia and Ukraine held its first direct peace talks since 2022. Despite agreeing to the prisoners exchanged, no breakthrough was achieved.

Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky said the attack was a "intentional killing of civilians." Russia has not commented directly, but state media reported that troops have attacked Sumi's "military installment zone."

Zelensky added that Russian troops “can’t help but understand the vehicles they hit.”

The Sumy Regional Head cited preliminary information Oleh Hryhorov said the bus was hit by a Russian Lancet drone at 06:17 local time on Saturday (03:17 GMT). He described the attack as "inhumane."

Friday's talks in Istanbul, Turkey did not lead to any breakthroughs as Ukraine and Russia keep their distance on how to end the war.

However, it was agreed that both sides would return 1,000 prisoners of war to each other in the next few days.

"As with any day of this war, there is a chance to stop the fire. Ukraine has been offering it for a long time," Zelensky said of the negotiations.

Ukraine reiterated its call for a full and unconditional ceasefire following discussions in Istanbul, but the agreement reached with Russia remains elusive.

Ukraine said the next step in the process will be direct negotiations between Ukrainian President Vodimir Zelensky and Russia's Vladimir Putin.

Russia said it had "attention" to the request.

The United States claims that the war can only be made when President Donald Trump and Putin hold face-to-face talks.

During a visit to the Middle East, Trump told the Air Force One reporter: "Nothing will happen until Putin and I get together."

Trump added: "If I weren't there, he wouldn't go, and I don't believe anything would happen, whether you like it or not, until he and me get together."

Russia began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Ukraine used Sumy to launch offenders to Russia's Kursk region in August. Russia deported most Ukrainian troops earlier this year and in recent months has intensified cross-border artillery and air strikes.

According to the Sumi Regional Military Administration, Russia conducted a drone strike in the region earlier this week before negotiations in Ukraine began, killing three people and injuring nine people.

On Saturday, Ukrainian drones reportedly attacked Crimea's ammunition warehouse, Crimea, annexed in 2014.

According to Reuters, Ukraine's strike caused explosions in warehouses of military equipment, weapons and fuel.