Russian Drone Strike Kills 13 at Ukraine Train Station

At least 13 people were killed when a Russian drone struck a crowded railway station platform in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Thursday, in one of the deadliest attacks on the country's rail network in recent months.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the attack as “horrific” and called on Kyiv’s international allies to maintain pressure on Moscow through sanctions.

According to Zelensky, the drone hit a platform where both a commuter train and a passenger train were stationed, resulting in significant casualties among travellers. Images released by Ukraine’s emergency services showed bodies lying on the platform, rescue workers attending to victims and heavily damaged train carriages with shattered windows.

The attack occurred even as Ukraine and Russia continue to observe a fragile local ceasefire in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky. Officials from both countries said the truce remained in effect for a third consecutive day, raising hopes for humanitarian access to residents who have endured prolonged shortages of food, water and medical supplies.

Despite the local ceasefire, hostilities continued elsewhere across Ukraine. Ukraine’s air force reported that four jet-powered drones were launched during the daytime attack. While three were intercepted by air defence systems, one evaded detection and struck the railway station.

The head of Ukraine Railways, Oleksandr Pertsovsky, said authorities had issued an elevated threat alert before the strike but noted that many passengers were still present at the station when the drone hit.

Ukraine’s railway system has remained a critical transport network since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, connecting cities across the country and providing essential civilian and logistical support. Russian attacks on rail infrastructure have repeatedly disrupted services, damaged locomotives and endangered railway workers and passengers.

Following the attack, Zelensky renewed criticism of the recent agreement between United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin that eased certain sanctions on Russia’s energy sector. He questioned whether the easing of restrictions had contributed to a reduction in hostilities, arguing that Russian attacks had persisted.

In separate attacks across Ukraine, local authorities reported at least five additional deaths.

In the northern city of Chernihiv, two 15-year-old girls were killed and more than a dozen people injured after a strike hit the city centre. Meanwhile, in Kremenchuk, a drone attack on a residential building claimed two lives and injured several residents, including a six-year-old child.

Russia has intensified drone and missile strikes in recent weeks, targeting key infrastructure and energy facilities across Ukraine as winter approaches. Ukrainian officials have accused Moscow of attempting to cripple energy supplies and increase hardship for civilians during the colder months.

The Kremlin has indicated that military operations will continue despite ongoing efforts to revive peace negotiations under United States mediation. Ukraine and Russia are expected to hold further talks with US representatives next month, though no official date has been announced.

While previous rounds of negotiations have yielded little progress, Ukrainian officials hope the ceasefire in Oleshky could pave the way for humanitarian evacuations and broader diplomatic engagement.

The conflict, now in its fifth year, remains Europe's largest war since World War II, with both sides maintaining sharply different positions on territory, security arrangements and the conditions for any lasting peace agreement.