Russia strikes Dnipro and Kharkiv, leaving casualties and destruction

Russia launched a rare drone attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on 30 September, killing one person, injuring 20 others and damaging medical facilities, residential blocks and office buildings, officials said.

Video released by Ukraine’s emergency services showed smoke pouring from windows, burnt-out cars and firefighters battling flames. Reuters verified the location of the footage by road layouts, building facades, trees and street signage, though the date could not be independently confirmed.

Governor Serhiy Lysak said the strike hit the city centre while people were at work and children were in school. He added that an office building was ablaze and dozens of cars damaged.

Dnipro, a major industrial and business hub in southeastern Ukraine, has come under frequent attack throughout the war.

In a separate overnight strike, a Russian guided aerial bomb hit the city of Kharkiv, injuring six people and sparking multiple fires, regional officials said on 1 October. Five of the injured were hospitalised, Governor Oleh Synehubov reported.

Mayor Ihor Terekhov said flames spread through a city market and nearby residential buildings. Photos and videos showed firefighters battling through the night as stalls and structures were engulfed in fire.

Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city and close to the Russian border, has faced regular aerial assaults since the start of the war. There was no immediate comment from Moscow.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Both sides deny targeting civilians, insisting their strikes are aimed at military infrastructure.

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