Russian forces struck five districts of Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region more than 40 times on Tuesday, prompting Regional Governor Oleksandr Hanzha to convene an emergency Defense Council aimed at strengthening evacuations and reinforcing defenses across the region.

Hanzha confirmed the attacks and casualties on his official Telegram channel, outlining the region’s response during a Defense Council held Wednesday evening, with military commanders, emergency services, law enforcement, and district heads.

“We must work as one first,” Hanzha said. “This is the most important thing right now.”

Among the day’s deadliest strikes, a Russian first-person-view (FPV) drone hit a group of civilians walking along a road in Nikopol, killing three people – including an 87-year old woman and her 51-year-old-son – and wounding several others across the region.

Advertisement

On evacuation security, Hanzha said rescue crews operating under shelling must minimize road risks for both residents and responders, while maintaining contact with the military and law enforcement. 

“This is why crews have clear safety protocols,” he said, “They work in armored vehicles, use bulletproof vests and helmets.” 

For Nikopol, one of the hardest-hit districts, he highlighted anti-drone tunnels as a core defense measure, with installations underway in both Nikopol and Marhanets.

“We have already covered almost 14 kilometers [8.7 miles] of roads,” Hanzha said. “Work is ongoing.”

Netherlands Pledges $580M to Ukraine for Drones, Air Defense
Other Topics of Interest

Netherlands Pledges $580M to Ukraine for Drones, Air Defense

The Netherlands pledged €500 million (about $580 million) in new military aid for Ukraine on Wednesday, June 17, covering drones from Dutch defense companies and US-sourced weapons, bringing the country’s total contribution to the American PURL initiative to €1 billion (about $1.2 billion).

He condemned leaders who fail to direct “maximum resources” toward the Ukrainian army. Those who don’t, he warned, are “waiting for victory somewhere on the sidelines, away from their positions.”

Broader wave of strikes across Ukraine

Ukraine’s Air Force reported on Tuesday that Russian forces had launched more than 130 drone strikes overnight, including Shahed and Gerbera types, along with two Iskander-M ballistic missiles. Air defenses neutralized 114 drones, while 16 drones and two missiles reached their targets.

Advertisement

In the Kherson region, a Russian drone struck a minibus in the Korabelny district, killing one man. A separate strike hit an ambulance crew responding to a call in the same area, wounding two doctors.

Overnight, Russian drones also hit the city of Balakliya in the Kharkiv region, wounding eight people – including a four-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy – and setting four private homes on fire.

To suggest a correction or clarification, write to us here
You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter