Thirteen people died when a Russian jet-powered drone struck a commuter train platform at Dnipro railway station on Thursday morning.
Dnipro mayor Borys Filatov wrote on Telegram that a drone struck a passenger electric train.
"A tragedy has occurred in Dnipro. A drone struck a passenger electric train"
The state rail company, Ukrzaliznytsia, identified the weapon as a jet-powered drone. A commuter train bound for Zaporizhzhia was about to leave the platform it struck.
The regional governor of Dnipropetrovsk, Oleksandr Ganzha, gave an initial count of the injured. He said at least five more people were wounded in the Dnipro attack.
People remained on the platform despite a warning of heightened danger, Ukrainian Railways explained. Rescuers were already at the scene when the strike occurred.
Authorities had announced an elevated threat level, but many people remained on the platform, rail company chief Oleksandr Pertsovsky said.
The strike was horrific, Volodymyr Zelensky said. The Ukrainian president called for more sanctions to deter further Russian attacks.
Sanctions on Moscow and its war machine should remain in place throughout Russia’s war, Zelensky said. His remarks come amid reports of diplomatic shifts in Washington.
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump lifted several sanctions tied to Russian fossil fuel sales. He agreed to let Russian diesel reach global energy markets.
Reports on Wednesday indicated Washington was in talks with the Kremlin. The discussions concerned lifting sanctions on Russia's multibillion-dollar sovereign wealth fund.
"Just how many terrorist strikes has Russia carried out against our people since sanctions were lifted on certain Russian oligarchs and the Russian energy sector, rather than de-escalating?"
Since Russia launched its 2022 invasion, drones have struck trains across Ukraine, destroying hundreds of locomotives and killing several railway workers.
In September alone, more than 5,800 Ukrainian train services saw passenger evacuations because of the danger posed by Russian drone strikes, the national railway operator told AFP.
Zelensky said peace negotiators representing Ukraine, Russia and the United States may gather in Abu Dhabi. He proposed holding the talks between 6 and 10 November.
On Wednesday, the Netherlands announced new military support for Ukraine. Dutch prime minister Rob Jetten said the country will provide €500 million ($556 million) in military support this winter.
A local truce brokered by the US in southern Ukraine remained in force for a second straight day on Wednesday, raising hopes of humanitarian aid reaching civilians trapped in Russian-occupied territory.
Ukraine's human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, confirmed the truce remained stable in Oleshky.
"30 hours of the ceasefire in Oleshky have passed without a single incident"
President Volodymyr Zelensky said he hopes negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States will gather in Abu Dhabi between 6 and 10 November.
| Source | Deaths | Injured | Train Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Governor Oleksandr Ganzha | 13 | At least 5 | Not specified |
| CNN (citing authorities) | 13 | 10 | Not specified |
| Ukrainian Railways | 13 | Not specified | Train No. 866 Dnipro–Zaporizhzhia |
What we know
- Thirteen people died in the strike.
- A jet-powered drone hit the platform.
Still unclear
- The final confirmed number of wounded varies between sources.
- Whether two trains were struck remains unconfirmed by rail authorities.
- A firm date for the Abu Dhabi peace talks has not been finalized.
