Russia Hits Civilian Infrastructure Again: Dnipro and Kharkiv Bombarded by Drones

Russian drone attacks on Dnipro late on Tuesday, April 8, damaged five apartment buildings, including the local gas infrastructure, according to Mayor Borys Filatov.

The regional military administration reported that air defense forces shot down 11 Russian drones over the area.

“The city of Dnipro suffered the most from the enemy drones. Fifteen people were injured, eight of whom remain hospitalized. Most patients are in moderate condition, one in light condition,” said Serhii Lysak, head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration.

Dnipro is one of Ukraine’s largest cities, located in the central-eastern part of the country on the banks of the Dnipro River. It serves as a critical industrial, logistical, and defense hub, that has become especially important in the context of Russia’s full-scale war.

In addition to the apartment blocks, 15 private houses and four other multi-story buildings were damaged. Around 20 cars were wrecked, and several businesses sdestroyed, including damage to administrative buildings and infrastructure. All fires were extinguished by emergency services.

Municipal crews have already begun clearing the aftermath - removing broken glass and clearing roads. A local district commission will soon collect damage claims to assess affected properties.

Later that same evening, on April 8, Russian drones also launched a massive attack on Kharkiv, hitting three districts - Kyivskyi, Industrialnyi, and Osnovianskyi.

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According to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service, the strikes resulted in fires, injuries, and significant damage to civilian enterprises, warehouses, production facilities, and a car repair station.

Kharkiv is Ukraine’s second-largest city, with a population of approximately 1.42 million, it is located in the northeast of the country just 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the Russian border.

“There were six ignition points. The total fire area exceeded 1,200 square meters,” the emergency services stated.

Around 20 explosions were heard in Kharkiv overnight, with the attack lasting from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Two civilians were injured: a man around 65 years old suffered shrapnel wounds to the head and is in psychological shock, while a woman around 55 was also wounded.

Despite growing evidence of repeated attacks on civilian infrastructure - including hospitals, schools, kindergartens, energy facilities, and water systems - Russia’s leadership continues to publicly deny that its army is deliberately targeting civilian areas in Ukraine.