Russian Drones Hit Ukrainian Bus and Train, Killing Five, Officials Say

By Angel No Lie | KPD Online | September 16, 2026

KYIV, Ukraine — September 16, 2026: A Russian drone strike hit a passenger bus in southeastern Ukraine on Wednesday, killing five people and injuring at least seven others, according to Ukrainian regional officials.

The attack occurred in the Nikopol district of Dnipropetrovsk region, an area near the front line that has been repeatedly targeted during the war. Regional Governor Oleksandr Hanzha said the vehicle was a scheduled passenger bus.

Five Killed in Bus Attack

According to Ukrainian authorities, the five people killed were four men and one woman. Seven other people were injured and taken for medical treatment. Images released by Ukrainian officials showed a white minibus with shattered windows following the strike.

Mykola Lukashuk, head of the Dnipropetrovsk regional council, said the bus was carrying people travelling on their normal daily journeys. Russia had not immediately issued a public comment on the specific attack when the reports were published.

Both Moscow and Kyiv have repeatedly denied deliberately targeting civilians during the war.

Passenger Train Also Hit

A separate Russian drone attack struck a passenger train in Ukraine’s southern Mykolaiv region, according to Ukrainian officials.

The train was carrying 168 passengers and crew members. Acting regional governor Heorhii Reshetilov said everyone aboard was evacuated safely and no injuries were reported. He also said the train came under additional drone attacks after the initial strike.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also said a locomotive near Kovel, close to the Polish border, was struck.

Rail Network Under Increasing Pressure

The latest incidents come amid repeated attacks on Ukraine’s railway infrastructure, which has become a crucial means of transportation since the country’s airspace was closed following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

According to Ukraine’s state railway operator, Russian attacks have damaged 120 passenger railcars, 304 locomotives and 43 railway stations during 2026. The operator said approximately 1,700 railway facilities had been attacked since the beginning of the year.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused Russia of deliberately attacking transportation infrastructure, while Russia has not publicly accepted responsibility for the specific passenger-bus attack reported Wednesday.

The attacks come as both sides continue using drones extensively against military, industrial, energy and transportation targets.

Civilian Casualties Continue to Rise

The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reported that at least 1,396 civilians were killed and 7,978 wounded during the first six months of 2026, representing an increase compared with the same period in 2025. The monitoring mission also recorded civilian casualties inside Russia resulting from Ukrainian attacks.

The latest strikes underscore the continuing risks faced by civilians and transport workers as the Russia-Ukraine war enters another period of intensified drone warfare.