A Russian drone attack targeting a civilian shuttle bus in eastern Ukraine has resulted in the deaths of twelve mine workers and left seven others wounded, according to regional authorities. The assault occurred in the Pavlohrad district, where the vehicle was transporting employees of energy provider DTEK following their shift.
Regional military administration chief Oleksandr Ganzha confirmed the casualties via Telegram, stating that investigation into the details is ongoing while air alerts continue throughout the region. DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy firm, denounced the incident as a deliberate attack on civilian workers, initially reporting fifteen fatalities in their official statement.
This devastating strike follows a pattern of intensified attacks across Ukraine over the weekend. In a separate incident in Zaporizhzhia, a drone strike hit a maternity hospital, injuring six people including two women undergoing medical examinations. Regional head Ivan Fedorov described the hospital attack as further “proof of a war directed against life,” sharing visual evidence of extensive damage including blown-out windows and debris-strewn medical facilities.
Additional violence claimed three lives in Kherson and Dnipro, according to local officials. These developments occur amidst Russia’s continued targeting of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during an exceptionally cold winter, with temperatures forecast to drop below -20°C. The attacks on power grids have severely compromised heating and electricity supplies across the country.
Contradictory statements have emerged regarding potential ceasefires, with US President Donald Trump claiming on Thursday that Russian President Putin had agreed to halt attacks on major Ukrainian cities during the cold snap. The Kremlin later indicated this pause would extend only until Sunday, leaving the humanitarian situation precarious.