A Russian drone strike on a railway platform in central Ukraine on Thursday killed at least 13 passengers and wounded 10 more, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported.
The attack occurred at the Dnipro railway station when a jet-powered Russian drone hit one of the platforms where a commuter train was stopped, according to the state Ukrainian Railways operator.
"The Russians attacked the platform where a regular commuter train and a regular passenger train were standing," Zelensky stated in a social media post. He added, "Unfortunately, as of now, 13 people have been confirmed dead."
The railway company's chief, Oleksandr Pertsovsky, noted that an elevated threat level had been announced, but acknowledged that a significant number of people remained on the platform at the time of the strike.
Following the incident, Zelensky appealed to the United States and Europe for action, writing on X, "Fair and decisive actions by America and Europe are needed against Russian escalation."
Russia has previously targeted trains in Ukraine with drones since the start of its 2022 invasion, resulting in the destruction of numerous locomotives and the deaths of railway workers. In September alone, over 5,800 Ukrainian train services were evacuated due to the threat of Russian drone strikes.
The attack comes amid reports that Ukraine launched a large-scale drone assault overnight, with Russia's Defense Ministry claiming to have downed 1,214 Ukrainian drones. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that approximately half of these drones were heading towards the Russian capital.
Meanwhile, a localized ceasefire in and around the southern Ukrainian city of Oleshky has reportedly held for three days, allowing for the planned delivery of humanitarian aid. This pause in fighting, which began Tuesday, has brought a rare stillness to the region, though full-scale conflict between Russia and Ukraine persists.
The international political landscape also saw developments, with both Moscow and Kyiv appearing to seek favor with Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump has previously indicated a shift in his administration's engagement with Kyiv, while Russian officials, including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, are scheduled to attend a G20 ministerial meeting in Atlanta, Georgia. European leaders continue their efforts to diplomatically isolate Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and alleged acts of sabotage across the continent.