Russian Attacks on Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, and Kharkiv Kill 10 as Ukraine Vows Response

Russian missile and drone attacks on three major Ukrainian cities killed at least 10 people and injured dozens on Monday, Ukrainian officials said, as strikes continued throughout the day and emergency crews searched damaged areas for survivors.

The deadliest attack occurred in the southeastern city of Dnipro, where a Russian missile strike claimed six lives and left 29 others injured, according to regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha. The attack damaged critical infrastructure, a business, a school, private homes, and several vehicles.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy confirmed the missile strike, saying rescue teams were working at the scene while calling for stronger European investment in anti-ballistic missile defense systems. In his nightly address, Zelenskiy also pledged that Ukraine would respond to the latest wave of attacks and continue efforts aimed at weakening Russia’s ability to sustain the war.

In the nearby city of Zaporizhzhia, a Russian drone struck a minibus, killing three people, including two men and one woman, while injuring eight others. Among the wounded was a seven-year-old boy, regional authorities said. Images released by officials showed the heavily damaged vehicle with shattered doors and blood inside.

Witnesses described the attack as devastating. One resident, whose husband was killed, called it an act of terrorism, while another nearby driver said the strike caused severe destruction and highlighted the ongoing danger faced by civilians.

Later in the day, another drone exploded near a bus in Zaporizhzhia, injuring seven more people, including two children, according to regional governor Ivan Fedorov.

Further northeast in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, a Russian glide bomb killed a 23-year-old woman and wounded 10 others. Local officials said the explosion damaged a tram and more than 15 vehicles. Emergency responders and forensic teams examined the area as another glide bomb landed less than an hour later but failed to detonate.

Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, and Kharkiv have remained frequent targets of Russian missile and drone attacks since the war began more than five years ago. Their strategic industrial importance has made them recurring front-line cities throughout the conflict.

Russia did not immediately comment on Monday’s attacks. Since the start of the invasion, the war has claimed thousands of civilian lives across Ukraine. Moscow has also accused Ukraine of carrying out attacks on civilian targets in Russia and Russian-controlled territories, although on a significantly smaller scale. Both Kyiv and Moscow continue to deny intentionally targeting civilians.