Russian drone strike in northeastern Ukraine kills 9 people, officials say
Kyiv, May 17 (AP): A Russian drone hit a bus evacuating civilians from a front-line area in Ukraine's northeastern Sumy region Saturday, killing nine people, Ukrainian officials said, hours after Moscow and Kyiv had held their first direct peace talks in years that failed to yield a ceasefire.
Seven people were also injured in the attack in Bilopillia, a town around 10 kilometres from Russia's border, three of them seriously, according to local Gov Oleh Hryhorov and Ukraine's national police.
The Associated Press couldn't independently verify the report. There was no comment from Moscow.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attack as “deliberate killing of civilians,” adding in a post on Telegram messaging app that “Russians could scarcely not realize what kind of vehicle they were hitting.”
He lamented the missed opportunity from Friday's peace talks, saying that “Ukraine has long proposed this — a full and unconditional ceasefire in order to save lives.”
“Russia only retains the ability to continue killing,” Zelenskyy added.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said he was “appalled” by the attack. “If Putin is serious about peace, Russia must agree to a full and immediate ceasefire, as Ukraine has done,” he wrote on X.
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Govt working on integrated farming models
New Delhi (PTI): The government is working on having integrated farming models that will also be beneficial for small farmers, Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Tuesday.
Chouhan, who is in charge of the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ministry, also mentioned about many crops being purchased at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) from farmers.
The minister was responding to supplementaries during the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha.
Chouhan said the government has started work on having integrated farming models that would be helpful for small farmers also since the landholding with farmers is less in the country.
Generally, integrated farming models refers to bringing together different elements such as crops and livestock.
Meanwhile, the government is also taking various initiatives to promote alternative crops for tobacco farmers.
Chouhan said sugarcane and other crops are being used as alternatives to tobacco farming.
