In a tragic new escalation of the war in Eastern Europe, at least 12 people were killed and seven others seriously injured on Sunday when Russian drone strike targeted a civilian bus carrying miners in the Dnipropetrovsk region of east-central Ukraine . This incident further deepens the suffering of civilians and vital workers who are paying a heavy price for the ongoing conflict.
Details of the deadly attack on the workers' bus
Local officials and the Ukrainian emergency services reported that the targeted bus was traveling near the town of Ternivka, about 65 kilometers from the active front line. DTEK, Ukraine's largest private energy company, confirmed that the victims were its employees returning home after their shift at one of the company's mining facilities in the region.
Images released by authorities showed the bus's structure severely damaged, with shattered side and front windows and scattered debris, indicating the force of the drone strike. The head of the regional military administration, Oleksandr Ganza, stated on Telegram: “An enemy drone crashed near a company bus in the Pavlograd region. Initial estimates indicate 12 people were killed and seven others injured.”.
The context of the war and the targeting of infrastructure
This attack is not an isolated incident, but rather part of a series of strikes targeting infrastructure and energy facilities in Ukraine. Since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022, areas like Dnipropetrovsk, a vital industrial and logistical hub, have become frequent targets of missile and drone attacks. Targeting workers in the energy and mining sectors is a double blow, impacting both the human and economic well-being of the country and its ability to secure necessary energy resources, especially during harsh winter conditions.
Intense aerial escalation and alarming statistics
Simultaneously with the bus incident, other areas witnessed a similar escalation. Earlier on Sunday, a Russian drone struck a maternity hospital in the Zaporizhzhia region of southern Ukraine, injuring at least seven people, including two women who were undergoing medical examinations, according to the regional governor. This coordinated attack reflects a strategy of sustained pressure on the home front.
In a related development, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed the scale of the recent air attacks against his country. In a social media post, he explained that in January alone, Russia launched more than 6,000 drones, 5,000 aerial projectiles, and 158 missiles. These staggering figures indicate the intensity of the firepower being used against Ukrainian air defenses and explain the increasing human and material losses in areas near the front lines and even deep inside Ukraine.
