Asger Risom
A rare daytime missile strike by Russia on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro has killed 17 and injured close to 300. The attack coincided with President Zelensky’s appeal for NATO support in The Hague.
As Ukraine presses for deeper NATO engagement, the country faces renewed devastation at home.
Russia’s missile barrage on civilian targets has become more frequent, more destructive, and more brazen.
Each strike not only inflicts physical damage, but also serves as a challenge to the international community’s unity and resolve.
The latest attack in Dnipro, coming amid critical diplomacy in The Hague, underscores the urgency of Kyiv’s calls for sustained support.
Civilian areas devastated
A two-wave missile assault on Tuesday left widespread destruction in Dnipro, a regional capital in southeastern Ukraine.
According to Digi24.ro, shockwaves shattered windows on a moving passenger train, injuring several.
Over 100 vehicles were destroyed, and damage extended to residential buildings, schools, and a church.
At least 279 people were injured, including 27 children.
In the nearby town of Samar, two more people died after infrastructure was hit. Mayor Borys Filatov called the damage “unprecedented.”
Zelensky urges international backing
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was in The Hague for the NATO summit at the time of the attack.
Writing on X, he said, “This is not a fight where it’s hard to choose sides. Being on Ukraine’s side means defending life.”
Zelensky is expected to meet U.S. President Donald Trump during the summit.
He has called for stronger investment in Ukraine’s defense industry and measures to block Russia from acquiring foreign components for weapon manufacturing.
Tuesday’s strike follows an intensifying Russian campaign, including a June 17 assault on Kyiv that killed 28—the deadliest so far this year.
As the conflict deepens, Kyiv’s pleas for support have grown more urgent, with the Dnipro attack now emblematic of the stakes.
