Humanitarian mission in Oleshky, but there is carnage in Dnipro

A Russian jet-powered drone struck a crowded platform at the main railway station in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Thursday morning, killing at least 14 people and injuring dozens more. The attack occurred despite an active air raid alert, hitting a platform where passengers were waiting to board trains. President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the incident as a horrific act of terrorism and urged Western nations to impose stricter sanctions on Russia. The strike took place while a rare, localized humanitarian ceasefire was being observed in the occupied city of Oleshky, highlighting the continued intensity of Russian attacks elsewhere in the country. Ukrainian state railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia reported that the drone impacted a platform where a regular commuter train and a passenger train bound for the nearby city of Zaporizhzhia were stationed. Regional Governor Oleksandr Hanzha stated that the death toll stood at 14, with at least 14 others wounded, six of whom were in critical condition with multiple shrapnel injuries. Among the injured was an 11-year-old boy, while one male victim required the amputation of both legs. Images released by emergency services showed bodies lying on the platform, rescuers transporting victims on stretchers, and two burnt-out passenger trains with shattered windows. A dormitory at a vocational school nearby was also hit, sparking a fire. The attack formed part of a broader wave of Russian strikes across Ukraine. Authorities reported that at least 19 people died nationwide on Thursday. In the northern city of Chernihiv, two 15-year-old girls were killed and 23 others injured in a strike on a central street. In the central city of Kremenchuk, three people died and up to 28 were injured when a drone hit residential buildings and a school. Zelensky later cited a total of 19 deaths for the day. He questioned why Russia continued to target civilians after recent easing of sanctions on Russian oligarchs and the energy sector. He specifically referenced a deal struck earlier in the month between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which allowed for the import of Russian diesel and eased restrictions on specific sectors. Zelensky demanded new and more severe sanction measures from the European Union, the United States, and the Group of Seven. He argued that sanctions against Moscow and its war machine must not be relaxed as long as the conflict persists. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed deep concern over the attack, stating that Russia was choosing escalation by targeting civilians. Macron emphasized that the international community must aim for far more than a localized ceasefire, calling Moscow’s rejection of broader peace proposals intolerable. He urged allies to redouble efforts to bring Russia to the negotiating table. EU Council President Antonio Costa called for increased pressure on Russia, describing the strikes as cruel and devastating. Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, committed to soliciting partners at upcoming summits, including an EU-Canada summit and the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting in Atlanta, to strengthen support for Ukraine. She also promoted the establishment of a special tribunal and a compensation commission to hold perpetrators accountable. Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhiy Kornyienko stated that Russia was deliberately hunting civilians in transit hubs and residential areas, declaring that there is no justification for such terror. Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov labeled the incident a tragedy, confirming that a drone had hit an electric civilian train. The violence in Dnipro contrasted sharply with the situation in Oleshky, a city in the Kherson region under Russian occupation since 2022. A six-day humanitarian truce began in Oleshky, mediated by the Pope and supported by US First Lady Melania Trump. The pause in fighting allows for the delivery of food and medicine and the evacuation of residents. Approximately 1,500 people remain in the ruins of Oleshky, down from a pre-war population of 24,000. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that no violations of the ceasefire had been reported through Thursday, with the truce set to last until Sunday. De-mining operations are underway, and aid is expected to reach residents safely by late in the week. Residents wishing to leave Oleshky are expected to travel through Russian-controlled Crimea, cross southern Russia, fly to Belarus, and then enter Ukraine. Four American journalists from the conservative outlet Newsmax accompanied the Russian side to monitor the humanitarian operations. Meanwhile, the Kremlin warned that if Ukraine conducts strikes during Russia’s National Unity Day on November 4, it could jeopardize planned trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi scheduled for November. Russia’s military did not issue a public comment regarding the Dnipro strike, though Moscow has previously denied intentionally targeting civilians while frequently attacking Ukraine’s railway and energy infrastructure. A day of mourning was declared for both Dnipro and Chernihiv on Friday.