Railway worker and wife killed in Russian drone attack on bus near Bilopillia

A railway worker and his wife, a teacher, were killed yesterday when a Russian drone attacked a commuter bus near Bilopillia in the Sumy region. The couple had previously evacuated from Bilopillia to Sumy and were travelling home to collect belongings, as reported by Oleksandr Pertsovskyy, Chairman of the Board of Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways).

Aftermath of the Russian attack in the Sumy region

“Ihor Hryhorovych Vasylina worked as a fitter at the passenger depot in Sumy for over 20 years. Connections with frontline communities in the Sumy region are maintained through the work of such people,” Pertsovskyy stated.

He added that in early May 2025, the family had evacuated to Sumy from Bilopillia and rented accommodation. The husband and wife were travelling home on their days off to pick up their belongings.

The couple is survived by a son and a 10-year-old granddaughter.

According to preliminary information, among the nine killed in the Russian attack on the commuter bus in the Sumy region were members of one family. The father, mother, and daughter died from the drone strike.

Earlier, ZMINA reported that on the morning of May 17, 2025, Russians used a Lancet UAV to strike a bus carrying civilians on the Bilopillia – Sumy route. The attack occurred as the bus was leaving the city of Bilopillia.

May 17-19, 2025, were declared days of mourning in Bilopillia for those killed as a result of the Russian drone strike on the bus.

ZMINA continues to report on ongoing international crimes in the Sumy Oblast.