Russian missile strikes hit schools and hospitals in central Ukraine, killing at least 11 people on Tuesday.
More than 100 were injured as Zelensky met allies abroad and called for global support.
At least 11 people were killed and over 100 injured on Tuesday after Russian missiles struck multiple civilian sites, including schools, hospitals, and kindergartens in central Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, which is facing increasing pressure from advancing Russian forces.
The deadly attacks coincided with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to the Netherlands, where he is meeting with allies on the sidelines of a NATO defense summit. According to a senior Ukrainian official, Zelensky is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday to discuss further sanctions on Russia and additional military support for Ukraine.
Emergency workers in the Dnipropetrovsk region released images showing first responders tending to wounded civilians, many visibly bloodied from the blasts. In the aftermath, President Zelensky condemned the attacks, stating, “This is not a fight where it’s hard to choose a side. Standing with Ukraine means defending life.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called the strikes a clear indication that Russia is not interested in peace. “It is a rejection of peace,” he said, referring to Moscow’s continued dismissal of ceasefire proposals from both Ukraine and the United States.
Andriy Sybiga, a senior official in Zelensky’s office, added, “It is a matter of credibility for allies to step up pressure on Moscow.”
Police reports confirmed that 11 residents of Dnipro city were killed in the attack, along with two more in the nearby town of Samar. Among the structures damaged were an administrative building, several shops, educational facilities, and a children’s hospital.
Toddler among the dead
The latest bombardment followed deadly overnight drone attacks in northeastern Ukraine. In Sumy region, which borders Russia, local authorities said three civilians including a five-year-old boy were killed when drones struck residential areas. Oleg Grygorov, head of the Sumy military administration, said the young boy was pulled lifeless from the rubble of a collapsed home.
“The strike took the lives of people from different families. They all lived on the same street. They went to sleep in their homes, but the Russian drones interrupted their sleep forever,” Grygorov said.
Meanwhile, Russia reported casualties from Ukrainian drone attacks on its own territory. In the Belgorod region, one man was killed next to his wife in a drone strike; she survived. Another drone reportedly hit a residential building in Moscow, injuring two people, including a pregnant woman.
Russia continues to occupy about 20 percent of Ukrainian territory and has claimed the annexation of four regions since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022. Crimea, which Russia seized in 2014, also remains under Moscow’s control.
Kyiv has accused Russia of deliberately avoiding meaningful negotiations in order to drag out the war and gain more ground.
