A Russian drone attack killed at least 13 civilians and injured 10 others at the main railway station in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, the United Nations’ top humanitarian official in Ukraine said Thursday.
Since the start of the year, travelers and railway workers have faced increased risks on every journey due to Russian military strikes and air alerts affecting train safety, according to Matthias Schmale, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine. Attacks on railway facilities have risen from 1,206 in 2025 to 1,700 so far this year, according to figures from Ukraine’s railway operator cited by media outlets.
Media outlets reported that a jet-powered drone hit the station while a train scheduled to travel to Zaporizhzhia stood at a platform. An 11-year-old boy was among the injured, according to regional officials cited in the reports. Schmale said displaced people and aid workers at a transit centre were left in shock by the nearby explosions.
Schmale said civilians preparing for a trip or bidding farewell to loved ones faced “death and devastation.” He noted that civilian infrastructure, including bridges, hospitals and schools, has faced repeated attacks in recent months.
Separately, Schmale said preparations are accelerating to deliver aid to Oleshky, a Russian-occupied town in the Kherson region. Aid deliveries could arrive as early as Friday while a local ceasefire holds.
The ceasefire was brokered by United States First Lady Melania Trump and announced by the White House on Oct. 23. The agreement is scheduled to end on the evening of Nov. 1.
Ukraine’s Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, has said he is on his way to the town and will accompany residents out. Safe passage requires mine clearance on the roads, and reports confirmed demining is underway, Schmale said.
The UN is not directly involved in the evacuation, as an offer of support was not taken up. Under established procedure, evacuees will get food, other material assistance and possibly help finding housing once they reach government-controlled areas. Schmale said there is a high likelihood the UN will get involved the minute they arrive.
Estimates vary, but Schmale said he had heard that 200 to 300 people might leave the town, which would leave more than 1,000 there who would need support. The town’s remaining health facility is barely functional and short of medicine, Schmale said. Keeping warm through winter amid energy disruption will be a growing challenge, and safe water is a pressing need. He added that mental health issues should not be overlooked because residents have been trapped under heavy bombardment for so long.