“All the deceased were civilians. And the Russians could not have failed to understand what kind of vehicle they were targeting. This was a deliberate killing of civilians,” Zelenskyy said on X, condemning the strike as a calculated attack on non-combatants.

Ukrainian police released images of the aftermath, showing the mangled remains of a dark blue passenger van with its roof torn off and windows shattered by the blast.

The drone strike has reignited criticism of Moscow’s negotiating posture after Friday’s high-profile talks in Istanbul yielded no breakthroughs. “Pressure must be exerted on Russia to stop the killings,” Zelenskyy said. “Without tougher sanctions, without stronger pressure, Russia will not seek real diplomacy.”

He accused the Kremlin of sending “a weak and unprepared” delegation to the talks, suggesting Moscow was not serious about engaging in meaningful peace negotiations. The meeting, held under international pressure and brokered in part by Turkish officials, was the first such direct contact between Kyiv and Moscow since the early months of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

“We are expecting strong sanctions against Russia from the United States, from Europe, and from all our partners. Diplomacy must start working,” Zelenskyy said, urging immediate action in the wake of the civilian deaths.

While US President Donald Trump has urged both sides to engage in dialogue, he cast doubt on the effectiveness of the Istanbul meeting, declaring that “nothing could happen” until he personally meets Russian President Vladimir Putin.-Agencies