A wave of Russian strikes across central Ukraine has left one person dead and caused extensive damage, regional authorities confirmed on Sunday. The attacks, which hit the industrial Dnipropetrovsk region overnight, targeted both civilian infrastructure and key facilities, marking a continued escalation in hostilities as the war enters its third year.
According to Mykola Lukashuk, the head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council, the most severe attack occurred in the Synelnykivsky district where a guided aerial bomb killed one man and damaged five private homes and a kindergarten.
“Our sincere condolences to the victim’s family,” Lukashuk stated in a press briefing, adding that the airstrikes were accompanied by artillery and drone assaults that crippled power lines and other critical infrastructure.
In Nikopol district, additional damage was reported to a business, four residential buildings, and electric grids. These attacks follow a recent strike on a Ukrainian army training facility in the same region that left 12 soldiers dead, highlighting Russia’s intensified military campaign in recent weeks.
The fresh wave of attacks comes amid heightened diplomatic tensions. Recent peace talks in Istanbul failed to yield any substantial progress, dashing hopes of a ceasefire. The only tangible outcome a large-scale prisoner exchange involving over 1,000 captives on each side has also stalled. Originally scheduled for the weekend, the swap has been delayed, with both sides trading blame.
Moscow accused Kyiv of refusing to confirm a date for the exchange, while Ukrainian officials accused Russia of “playing dirty games” and deviating from previously agreed-upon terms.
Russia’s military escalation is widely viewed as retaliation for a recent Ukrainian assault on Russian air bases an attack Moscow labeled as “brazen.” Analysts warn that continued strikes and diplomatic deadlock risk further entrenching the conflict, making future negotiations more difficult.
As the war grinds on with no end in sight, civilians in central Ukraine remain caught in the crossfire, suffering the consequences of a conflict that shows little sign of abating.
