A jet-powered Russian drone hit two trains stopped at the Dnipro railway station in central Ukraine on Thursday (October 29), killing at least 13 people and injuring 10 others, Ukrainian authorities said. “Thirteen people were killed in a Russian attack on Dnipro. At least five more were wounded,” Dnipropetrovsk regional governor Oleksandr Ganzha said on Telegram.
Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov described the incident as a “tragedy”, saying a drone had struck a civilian electric train. “Many people have been killed. Lots are wounded,” he said.
Ukrainian Railways, the state railway operator, said a jet-powered Russian drone hit one of the platforms at Dnipro station, where train No. 866, travelling from Dnipro to Zaporizhzhia, was standing at the time of the strike.
The railway operator’s chief, Oleksandr Pertsovsky, said an elevated threat level had been announced before the attack. However, a large number of people were still on the platform, he said in a Facebook post.
‘Horrific attack’: Zelenskyy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday condemned a Russian drone strike on a railway station in Dnipro. In a post on X, he described the attack as “horrific”, saying Russian forces targeted a platform where a commuter train and a scheduled passenger train were standing.
He expressed condolences to the families of those killed and said emergency services were working at the scene. “A horrific Russian strike on the railway station in Dnipro. The Russians launched a drone attack on a platform where an ordinary commuter train and a scheduled passenger train were standing. Unfortunately, 13 people have been confirmed killed as of now. My condolences to their families and loved ones. Ten more people were injured. All necessary emergency services are working at the scene,” said Zelenskyy.
Questioning Russia’s escalation despite the easing of certain sanctions, Zelenskyy urged the United States, the European Union and the G7 to impose fresh and stronger measures against Moscow and its war machinery.
“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? This is precisely why Ukraine has always said that just and decisive action by America and Europe is needed in response to Russian escalation – sanctions against Moscow and its war machine must not be eased for as long as this Russian war continues. It is time for new, stronger sanctions steps by the EU, the United States, and the G7. I thank everyone who is ready to help in this way,” he added.
Ukrainian drone strikes reported near Moscow
The attack came after Russian Air defence systems said they have destroyed about 30 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) approaching the city, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin told Russian Media. The mayor added that emergency services are currently working at the site where fragments of the intercepted drones fell.
According to Russian News site Izvestia, new air defence systems are forcing the Ukrainian Armed Forces to change drone routes; these systems are capable of influencing enemy tactics even before intercepting air targets. Air defence systems also intercepted another 10 drones heading toward the capital, after a group of 15 drones had been destroyed.
Earlier on Wednesday, at least 68 people have been killed in a collision involving two high-speed trains in Spain’s central province of Toledo, with the death toll feared to rise as rescue efforts continue. According to local media reports, the accident has also left passengers injured and disrupted rail services connecting Madrid with Ciudad Real and the southern region of Andalusia. Spain’s state-owned news agency and other local media reported the fatalities, while the country’s rail infrastructure operator, ADIF, confirmed that the crash took place in Toledo province.
The accident involved two high-speed trains travelling in the same direction. One train reportedly struck the rear of the other, causing two coaches to leave the tracks, the Associated Press (AP) reported, citing Spanish broadcaster TVE.
(With AP, AFP inputs)
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