Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned a Russian drone strike that killed at least a dozen miners traveling on a bus in the Dnipro region, describing it as a “crime” that underscores Russia’s responsibility for escalating the conflict, while announcing preparations for the next round of trilateral peace talks in the United Arab Emirates.

In a detailed address following a coordination call on regional situations, Zelenskyy reported the attack in Ternivka, Pavlohrad district, where Russian drones targeted an ordinary bus carrying miners. “Sadly, many people were killed,” he said, offering condolences to the families and noting injuries among survivors. Ukrainian authorities and the energy company DTEK, which owned the bus, reported at least 12 dead and several wounded, with the strike characterized as a targeted assault on energy sector workers returning from a shift.

I have just held a coordination call on the situation across all our regions. In the Dnipro region, in Ternivka of the Pavlohrad district, Russian drones struck an ordinary bus carrying miners. Sadly, many people were killed. My condolences to all the families and loved ones.… pic.twitter.com/PI07DoHL9O

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 1, 2026

Zelenskyy highlighted additional Russian strikes in the region, including drone attacks on power grids in Nikopol and Marhanets causing outages, and damage to railway infrastructure in the Dnipro and Sumy regions. Railway workers are actively repairing lines to maintain inter-regional connectivity, he said.

The president addressed ongoing domestic challenges, particularly the heating crisis in Kyiv amid freezing temperatures. More than 500 apartment buildings remain without heat, with repair work continuing. “This certainly cannot be perceived as normal in a city where, for far more than a week now, the number of buildings without heating is hundreds every single day, regardless of the situation,” Zelenskyy stated. He criticized the pace of response, saying measures in the city are insufficient and urging faster coordination between local authorities and government agencies.

Assistance points and warming centers have expanded in several Kyiv districts, providing hot meals and support, with hotlines including 112 and a government contact center registering needs. Zelenskyy thanked Naftogaz for aiding the distribution of thermal kits, noting thousands are provided daily in the Kyiv region, and reported progress adding cogeneration capacity. He received updates from other regions, including heavy shelling in Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv, and others, where services respond to every need. Recovery continues in Odesa after severe weather, with power outages addressed in Kirovohrad and reports from Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Poltava, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Cherkasy, Khmelnytskyi, and Chernivtsi.

On diplomacy, Zelenskyy confirmed arrangements for a trilateral meeting at an appropriate level in the United Arab Emirates next week, on Wednesday and Thursday, following the previous session there. He spoke with Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and scheduled a preparatory meeting for tomorrow to finalize the framework. The Ukrainian team will depart Monday evening. “February will be a period of quite intense foreign policy activity on our part, with contacts and meetings beginning tomorrow,” he said.

There is an arrangement to hold a trilateral meeting at an appropriate level in the Emirates next week. February will be a period of quite intense foreign policy activity.

We expect the American side to be just as active, particularly when it comes to de-escalation measures –… pic.twitter.com/KXmPboXTWp

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 1, 2026

Zelenskyy expressed expectations for active U.S. involvement, particularly in de-escalation measures to reduce strikes. “Much depends on what the U.S. can achieve so that people trust both the process and the outcomes, of course,” he noted. Many international leaders support Ukraine in this process, with daily coordination.

He reiterated the Dnipro bus strike as “a telling crime that yet again shows that Russia bears responsibility for the escalation. Evil must be stopped.” In a related social media post, Zelenskyy emphasized the upcoming talks and called for American engagement on de-escalation, while condemning the attack on the miners’ bus.