Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed details of a road accident in France: Ukrainians died, children were injured
On Friday, June 13, 2025, a serious traffic accident occurred in France involving a Ukrainian bus carrying a group of adults and children participating in an educational exchange. The accident had tragic consequences: there are dead, severely injured and injured children.
The bus was transporting Ukrainian teenagers who participated in a school educational exchange with the La Touche agricultural lyceum in Brittany. After completing the educational program, Ukrainian lyceum students returned home to Bukovyna. While driving in the direction of Paris, the bus drove into a ditch for unknown reasons. It was during this accident that the tragic consequences occurred. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine specified that as a result of the road accident there were dead and many injured. According to preliminary estimates, there were four dead and about 30 injured. Some of the victims were immediately in a serious condition.
Later, official information about the details of the accident provided President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi. The head of state informed in detail about the state of affairs and measures taken by the Ukrainian side. According to him, the bus with children was returning from an educational exchange at a French lycée. While driving to Paris, the driver lost control of the vehicle, as a result of which the bus went off the roadway.
President Zelensky confirmed that four adults died as a result of the road accident. Among them are three citizens of Ukraine. Two more people are in serious condition, doctors in France are fighting for their lives. Among the children, the majority received injuries of medium and light degree of severity, all victims are provided with medical assistance.
Zelenskyi separately emphasized that after receiving information about the tragedy, the Ukrainian diplomatic services responded promptly:
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine immediately sent a team of our diplomats and consuls headed by the Ambassador of Ukraine to France to the scene of the incident. They provide assistance to our citizens and maintain contact with the families of the victims, as well as with representatives of the French authorities and services at the scene of the incident.”— the president said.
The head of state also expressed special thanks to France for the professional, quick and large-scale response to the tragedy. According to Zelenskyi, more than 50 emergency and medical teams were quickly deployed to conduct a rescue operation, provide emergency aid and transport the injured to hospitals. The French authorities reacted as quickly as possible. The President separately noted that the situation is under the constant control of the Office of the President of France Emmanuel Macron.
“Thank you to France for helping our children and our citizens. This support was provided immediately after the incident, in full,” — emphasized Zelensky.
The President also expressed his sincere condolences to the families of the victims and all the victims, assuring that the Ukrainian state is doing everything possible to help its citizens who are in trouble outside the country.
At the same time, Zelenskyy emphasized that the situation is being monitored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. As Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiga and Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko reported, Ukrainian diplomats and law enforcement officers remain in constant contact with French investigators and doctors. The work to establish the exact causes of the accident continues.
At the moment, official conclusions about the technical or human factors of the accident have not yet been announced. It is known that the bus left the road for unknown reasons. Final conclusions should be given by the French law enforcement officers after the completion of the examination.
For the Ukrainian community, this tragedy became especially painful. Educational exchanges for Ukrainian children during the war years make it possible to at least partially maintain a normal school life and expand the opportunities for learning in the conditions of war, but even outside Ukraine, Ukrainian families remain vulnerable to tragic events.
The investigation continues, and doctors continue to fight for the lives of seriously injured participants in the accident.
