Russian Drone Kills 14 at Dnipro Train Station

A Russian drone crashed into a crowded railway platform in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Thursday, killing at least 14 people and injuring 14 others. The impact triggered immediate condemnation from European leaders, who described the attack on civilians as cruel and devastating.

Local officials confirmed that the strikes also cut power to 350,000 households in the region. Regional governor Oleksandr Hanzja reported that a second assault hit a student dormitory, setting the building ablaze. Emergency services responded to the scene on the east side of the Dnipro River.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the train station attack horrific. He insisted that sanctions against Moscow and its war machine must not be eased while the conflict continues. Zelenskyy warned that his country’s intelligence services expect preparations for new Russian ballistic missile strikes.

"We need the means to take out all this Russian evil. We are expecting relevant decisions," Zelenskyy said. He renewed his criticism of a deal between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin that eased some US sanctions to allow Moscow to release diesel to global markets.

French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the situation requires far more than a localized ceasefire. He referenced the current truce in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky. EU Council President António Costa urged international partners to increase pressure on Russia until a just and lasting peace is achieved.

"The EU will continue to increase the pressure on Russia and to support Ukraine until a just and lasting peace is achieved," Costa said. "We call on all our international partners to do the same."

Russian forces also launched ballistic missiles at the capital, Kyiv, later on Thursday. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the missiles hit warehouses and started a fire. He noted that emergency crews were moving to the affected areas.

The attacks occurred while Ukraine and Russia maintained a fragile local ceasefire in Oleshky. The city has been under Russian occupation since 2022, and residents have faced shortages of food, water, and medicine for months. The truce held into its third day, though strikes elsewhere in Ukraine killed at least 20 people and injured more than 70.

Russia and Ukraine announced that an operation to bring aid into Oleshky and allow residents to leave was ready to begin. According to a Wall Street Journal report, Ukrainian military units paused their strikes on Russian oil refineries in mid-October. This pause followed pressure from US President Donald Trump and is expected to last until after the US midterm elections.

Late on Thursday, President Putin said he supported steps to restore relations with European countries. Speaking after a summit with African leaders, he commented on phone calls with the leaders of Norway and Finland. Putin stated that if things go too far in any conflict, there will be no winners at all.