Russian drone kills 14 on Dnipro railway platform; strikes leave the city in blackout as Zelenskyy pleads for interceptors

A Russian drone struck a crowded railway platform in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Thursday, killing at least 14 people, Ukrainian officials said. According to state railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia, the jet-powered drone hit the main station as a commuter train was preparing to depart. Another 14 people were wounded, including an 11-year-old boy, the regional governor said, as reported by France 24.

At least 20 dead in one day

Five more people were killed in daytime strikes on Chernihiv and Kremenchuk, and a late-evening missile strike on Kyiv killed one person, bringing the reported toll to at least 20, Reuters writes.

Blackout in Dnipro

Overnight Russian attacks damaged energy infrastructure, and emergency power cuts hit Dnipro and the Dnipropetrovsk region. Regional head Oleksandr Hanzha said more than 350,000 consumers lost power, CNBC reports; by Friday more than 200,000 remained without electricity, according to France 24.

Zelenskyy: more ballistic attacks coming

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the attacks “very cruel” and deliberate at a time when everyone expects de-escalation. He said Ukrainian intelligence had detected Russian preparations for new ballistic missile strikes and urged allies to supply more air-defence interceptors, especially for Patriot systems. He also said Ukrainian forces had destroyed two Russian Su-34 jets and hit an Iskander launcher.

Refinery strikes

The Wall Street Journal reported that Ukraine had effectively paused strikes on Russian oil refineries after pressure from US President Donald Trump; Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Separately, a fire broke out at Russia’s Novokuibyshevsk refinery after a suspected Ukrainian drone attack, according to CNBC. A US-brokered local truce in the Kherson region allowed an aid convoy to enter Russian-held Oleshky.