Baby killed in Russian attack in Dnipropetrovsk

Ukraine and Russia have been engaged in a war since the start of the Russian full-scale invasion in February 2022, a war shaped significantly by drones and missiles. Both sides increasingly use unmanned aerial vehicles to reach targets deep in the opponent's rear. Civilian infrastructure and energy facilities are repeatedly affected. The Dnipropetrovsk region is among the most frequently attacked areas.

Reactions and consequences

International observers and aid organisations have long pointed out that uninvolved civilians are also killed or injured in the attacks. Children are disproportionately affected, according to UNICEF and other organisations. The United Nations has repeatedly called for better protection of the civilian population and criticised Russia for attacks on civilian targets.

Russian governor Andrey Vorobyov, from the Moscow region, had previously reported on multiple occasions about Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian territory. Attacks have also been reported from the Moscow capital region in recent weeks. Russian air defence regularly announces that it has intercepted drones, but independent verifications are often difficult.

Ukrainian leadership had recently intensified attacks on Russian energy and industrial sites in order to weaken the opponent's war economy. Russia, for its part, has been conducting intensive drone attacks on Ukrainian cities for weeks. Both sides accuse the other of deliberately targeting civilian targets, which the other side denies.

Impact on the region

There is great grief in Marhanets. Mayor Oleksandr Khansha expressed his condolences to the relatives of the killed baby and announced assistance for the affected families. Local authorities said they had organised psychological support for the village's residents. Rescue forces also remained deployed, according to reports, to recover any further possible victims.

International reactions to the attack were initially slow in coming. Western governments and the European Union have repeatedly strongly condemned Russian attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine. Russia rejects such accusations and speaks of a defensive war against the West. Ukraine, for its part, sees itself engaged in a defensive struggle against an invasion.

The incident in Marhanets is part of a series of deadly drone attacks in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Just days before, several people had been injured in similar attacks. The attack wave of the night of 15 August 2026 is, according to Ukrainian statements, among the most intense since the start of the war.

Diplomatic situation

The Ukrainian Air Force stated that most of the attacking drones had been intercepted. Nevertheless, there had been hits, including in Marhanets. Exactly how many drones were deployed in total is not definitively known. Both sides regularly publish figures that are difficult to independently verify.

The war in Ukraine has now lasted more than four years. Diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire have so far yielded no breakthrough. Both sides are fundamentally willing to talk, but attach preconditions that the other side rejects.

The attack in Marhanets is likely to intensify the debate once again about the protection of Ukraine's civilian population. Human rights organisations are calling for independent investigations and a stronger international response. Whether the incident will have consequences at the international level remains to be seen.