An elevated threat level had been announced before the attack, but many passengers were still waiting on the platform when the drone hit
By Njoku Vincent
At least 14 people have been killed and 14 others injured after a Russian jet-powered drone struck a crowded railway platform in Dnipro, a central Ukrainian city, local officials have said.
Dnipropetrovsk regional head Oleksandr Hanzha confirmed the casualties, adding that an 11-year-old boy was among those wounded in Thursday’s attack.
Ukraine’s state railway operator, Ukrzaliznytsia, said a passenger train bound for the southern city of Zaporizhzhia was at one of the platforms when the drone struck.
The railway operator’s head, Oleksandr Pertsovsky, said an elevated threat level had been announced before the attack, but many passengers were still waiting on the platform when the drone hit.
Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov described the incident as a tragedy, saying the drone struck a civilian electric train. Images released by Ukrainian rescue services showed extensive damage to the platform and a nearby train, including shattered windows.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack, saying the drone targeted a platform where commuter and passenger trains were standing. He called for additional sanctions against Russia by the United States, European countries and the G7.
Russia’s military had not publicly commented on the Dnipro incident. Moscow has repeatedly denied deliberately targeting civilians, maintaining that railway attacks are aimed at infrastructure used to transport military personnel and equipment.
Separately, two 15-year-old girls were killed in a Russian missile strike on central Chernihiv, according to regional head Vyacheslav Chaus. At least 11 other people, including children, were injured.
The attacks occurred amid ongoing efforts to maintain a fragile local ceasefire in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky, where residents have reportedly faced shortages of essential supplies, including food, water, medicine and electricity.
Meanwhile, Russia condemned Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Moscow during the Russia-Africa Summit, with the city’s mayor claiming that 613 Ukrainian drones had been launched towards the region overnight.
Railway infrastructure attacks across Ukraine have increased significantly, raising concerns over passenger safety as the war continues.