Drone Strike on Miners in Dnipropetrovsk Region
Twelve miners have died following a Russian drone strike in eastern Ukraine, according to DTEK, the country's largest private energy company. The attack targeted a bus transporting workers after their shift in the Dnipropetrovsk region on Sunday. State Emergency Services reported that at least 15 individuals were injured in the incident.
Additional Casualties from Separate Attacks
Earlier, at least two other people were killed and nine injured in separate Russian attacks overnight and on Sunday. Among the injured were six individuals affected when a drone struck a maternity hospital in Zaporizhzhia, including two women who were giving birth at the time.
Zaporizhzhia regional head Ivan Fedorov described the hospital attack on Telegram as further
"proof of a war directed against life".
Verification and Damage at Maternity Hospital No.3
BBC Verify confirmed the location as Maternity Hospital No.3 on Bocharova Street in the eastern part of Zaporizhzhia. Footage circulated on social media, bearing watermarks from national and local authorities, showed offices, patient rooms with beds, and a children's room with windows shattered and debris scattered.
Some videos revealed varying degrees of fire damage, with two showing active fires on the first floor. Additional footage depicted firefighters breaking down interior doors and evacuating patients.
Official Responses to Hospital Attack
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha stated that the hospital attack demonstrated that Russian President Vladimir Putin was waging a
"war against civilians contrary to peace efforts".
Fedorov later reported that three people were injured in a separate strike on a residential area.
Revised Death Toll from DTEK Bus Attack
Following the strike on the DTEK bus in Ternivka, the company initially reported 15 miners killed but subsequently revised the death toll to at least 12.
Additional Casualties in Other Cities
In the central city of Dnipro, a man and a woman were killed by a drone strike, according to Ganzha. He also reported that a 72-year-old man was injured in Nikopol.
Separately, a 59-year-old woman sustained serious injuries from shelling in Kherson, while three others were wounded in a strike in Kharkiv, officials confirmed.
Context of Russian Attacks on Ukraine's Infrastructure
In January, Moscow launched a series of targeted attacks on Ukraine's power grid, resulting in millions of people losing heating and electricity during an exceptionally cold winter. Temperatures are forecast to drop below -20°C in some areas this weekend.
US President Donald Trump stated on Thursday that Russian President Putin had agreed to pause attacks during the cold period; however, the Kremlin later indicated that the pause would end on Sunday.
Efforts to Prevent Misuse of Starlink Satellites
On Sunday, Ukraine announced collaboration with Elon Musk's SpaceX to prevent Moscow from using the company's Starlink satellite system for drone attacks. The Ukrainian military depends on Starlink for internet connectivity but recently discovered Starlink terminals on Russian long-range drones.
Elon Musk confirmed that measures to halt the
"unauthorised"use appeared effective. Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov expressed gratitude to Musk, calling him
"a true friend of the Ukrainian people".
Upcoming Peace Talks Delayed
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that a second round of three-way talks aimed at ending the conflict would commence on Wednesday instead of Sunday as originally planned. The talks will involve Russian, Ukrainian, and US officials and take place in Abu Dhabi.
Zelensky did not provide a reason for the delay. Negotiations, mediated by the US for several months, have faced challenges, particularly regarding Ukraine ceding territory to Russia.
Moscow currently controls approximately one-fifth of Ukraine, including most of the eastern Donbas region. Russia demands that Kyiv surrender the remaining parts of Donbas not yet seized by force, while Ukraine reportedly seeks the return of control over its largest nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia.
Additional reporting by Richard Irvine-Brown, BBC Verify.
