KYIV, Ukraine: A Russian drone slammed into a residential tower block in eastern Ukraine early Saturday, killing a woman and injuring at least 11 others as they slept, Ukrainian emergency services said.
The overnight strike hit a nine-story apartment building in Dnipro, Ukraine’s fourth-largest city, sparking a fire and destroying several apartments. Rescuers later found the woman’s body on the fifth floor. Two children were among the wounded, officials added.
The assault came as heavy fighting continued farther east in Pokrovsk, a strategically vital city in the Donetsk region where Ukrainian and Russian forces are locked in fierce battles. Analysts say control of Pokrovsk — part of the so-called “fortress belt” of fortified eastern cities — could influence both the military balance and diplomatic efforts to win favor from U.S. President Donald Trump amid ongoing peace deliberations.
Nearly four years into the full-scale invasion, Russia has stepped up drone and missile barrages against Ukrainian cities, often targeting energy infrastructure. The attacks have left dozens dead and forced power restrictions nationwide as winter approaches. Moscow maintains its strikes are directed at military or logistical targets linked to Kyiv’s war effort.
