A Russian jet-powered drone struck a crowded platform at Dnipro’s main railway station, killing at least 14 people, local officials reported.
Dnipropetrovsk regional head Oleksandr Hanzha confirmed that at least 14 others were injured in the attack, including an 11-year-old child.
Ukraine’s state railway operator, Ukrzaliznytsia, stated that a passenger train bound for Zaporizhzhia was at one of Dnipro’s platforms when the drone struck.
Russia’s military has not publicly commented on the incident. The Russian Defense Ministry has consistently denied intentionally targeting civilians, despite repeated strikes on Ukraine’s railway network.
According to Ukrzaliznytsia head Oleksandr Pertsovsky, an elevated threat level had been declared in Dnipro before Thursday’s strike. He emphasized that despite warnings, many people remained on the platform when the drone hit.
“But unfortunately there were still a large number of people on the platform,” he said.
Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov described the incident as a tragedy, noting that a drone struck a civilian electric train.
Images released by Ukrainian rescue services show extensive damage to the platform, with debris scattered nearby a train suffering from shattered windows.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack, stating that “the Russians used a drone to attack a platform where a regular commuter train and a regular passenger train were standing.”
He called for additional sanctions against Russia from the US and European allies, and renewed his criticism of a recent agreement between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin that temporarily eased certain sanctions on Russia, including provisions allowing American imports of Russian diesel.
In a separate incident, two 15-year-old girls were killed in a Russian missile strike on central Chernihiv, regional governor Vyacheslav Chaus confirmed. At least 11 others, including children, sustained injuries.
These attacks occurred amid ongoing efforts to maintain a temporary local ceasefire in the occupied city of Oleshky, which has been under Russian control since 2022. Residents there continue to face severe shortages of food, water, medicine, and electricity.
Ukraine’s human rights commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, reported via Telegram that the truce had largely held for a third day. He noted that he and the Ukrainian delegation planned to travel toward Oleshky through Belarus and Russia.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin criticized Ukrainian drone activity targeting Moscow during the Russia-Africa Summit, as reported by Tass news agency. The two-day summit brought together African leaders and government delegations from 48 nations.
Moscow’s mayor said over 600 Ukrainian drones were launched overnight toward the region, with most being intercepted during their flight.
The Russian Defense Ministry reiterated its position that it does not intentionally target civilians, asserting that its attacks on railways aim to disrupt infrastructure used for transporting military personnel and equipment.
Despite these claims, the risks to civilian passengers remain significant, with attacks on Ukraine’s rail systems increasing sharply.
Data from Ukrzaliznytsia shows that of the 521 locomotives struck since Russia’s full-scale invasion began, nearly 60% were hit this year alone. Additionally, attacks on railway facilities rose from 1,206 in 2025 to 1,700 through mid-year.
Recent weeks have seen a broader campaign targeting Ukraine’s infrastructure, including assaults on two bridges in Kyiv and damage to a metro train during one of the strikes.
