Deadly Russian Attacks Claim 21 Lives in Ukraine Amid Zelenskys NATO Visit

Russian missile and drone assaults resulted in the deaths of at least 21 individuals, including children, and left hundreds injured throughout Ukraine on Tuesday, coinciding with President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to the Netherlands for a NATO summit.

A missile attack on the eastern city of Dnipro caused the deaths of at least 19 people and nearly 300 injuries, as reported by regional officials. Earlier in the day, a separate drone strike in the northeastern Sumy region claimed the lives of three individuals, including a five-year-old boy.

Emergency responders in the Dnipropetrovsk region shared images depicting rescuers assisting injured civilians. The regional governor, Serhiy Lysak, confirmed that two additional fatalities and nine injuries occurred in the nearby town of Samar.

«This may be one of the most audacious attacks on Dnipro since the onset of the full-scale war,» remarked Dnipro’s Mayor Borys Filatov.

The missile attacks also resulted in damage to a passenger train, schools, and medical facilities in Dnipro, as Russian forces persist in their advance toward the area’s border, aiming to establish a presence there for the first time since the invasion began over three years ago.

These assaults coincided with Zelensky’s arrival in The Hague to participate in the NATO defense summit, where Ukrainian sources informed AFP that he is anticipated to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday to discuss new sanctions against Russia and the provision of weapons.

«While leaders convene in The Hague for the NATO summit, Russia is sending a message of terror and defiance against peace,» stated Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga. «It is imperative for allies to increase pressure on Moscow to maintain credibility.»

In Sumy, local officials reported that three individuals lost their lives overnight in a drone attack that devastated several homes. Oleh Hryhorov, head of the regional military administration, indicated that a five-year-old boy was rescued from the debris of a collapsed house.

«The attack took the lives of individuals from different families who all resided on the same street. They went to bed in their homes, but Russian drones interrupted their slumber — permanently,» Hryhorov lamented.

These strikes followed a day after Ukrainian reports indicated that Russian drone and missile attacks had resulted in ten deaths in Kyiv and had impacted various regions.

Meanwhile, in Russia, officials reported that one man was killed in a Ukrainian drone strike in the southwestern Belgorod region on Tuesday.

Additionally, a Ukrainian drone targeted a residential building in the Moscow region overnight, injuring two individuals, including a pregnant woman. Approximately 100 residents were evacuated from the apartment building, as stated by regional Governor Andrei Vorobyov. He also noted that two additional drones were intercepted.