Russian troops launched a morning drone strike against a scheduled intercity passenger bus in the Nikopol district of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on Sept. 16. The blast killed five passengers at the scene and left seven others wounded with varying degrees of severity, according to the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration (OVA).
At 11:26 a.m., President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Russian forces deliberately deployed an FPV kamikaze drone against a conventional intercity route bus operating near Nikopol.
"As of now, five people are confirmed dead, and seven more are receiving medical care," the president emphasized.
"There is no military logic here — simply another atrocity. My condolences go out to their families and loved ones."
At 10:53 a.m., the State Emergency Service (SES) released photographic documentation showing the catastrophic aftermath of the strike, which completely charred the vehicle's cabin. All seven wounded civilians remain under hospital supervision receiving emergency care.
At 7:30 a.m., local officials reported that Russian forces conducted separate morning drone strikes across the Nikopol district, targeting the administrative center of Nikopol and the neighboring Marhanets municipality. The earlier attacks damaged a multi-story residential building but caused no casualties.
Russian deadly strikes on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast
Sept. 14 Pavlohrad attack: Russian forces shelled Pavlohrad in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, killing one civilian and injuring five others.
Sept. 10 energy sector strike: Russian forces launched an assault on Pavlohrad, killing five people, including two civilian energy technicians employed by DTEK.