Russia's drone attack on Zaporizhzhia leaves 29 injured

Friday 02 May 2025 - 13:06

By: Zahouani Ilham

Russia's drone attack on Zaporizhzhia leaves 29 injured

On Friday, Ivan Fedorov, the governor of the Zaporizhzhia region, reported that 29 individuals were wounded following a large-scale nighttime drone strike on the southeastern Ukrainian city. Among the injured was a 13-year-old boy. The attack targeted civilian infrastructure, damaging residential buildings, a university, and other facilities.

Fedorov stated that Russian forces launched at least 10 strikes on Zaporizhzhia, affecting private homes, apartment buildings, educational institutions, and key infrastructure. Three people were rescued from the rubble, and 12 others are being treated in local hospitals.

Ukraine's air force intercepted 64 out of the 150 drones launched by Russia, while another 62 drones were likely thwarted by electronic warfare countermeasures. The fate of the remaining drones was not clarified. Rescue teams worked through the wreckage, with some scenes showing buildings engulfed in flames and injured individuals being carried to safety.

In addition to the destruction in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine's state railway company, Ukrzaliznytsia, confirmed that its locomotive repair plant was severely damaged and would no longer be operational. A second drone attack in the Dnipropetrovsk region wounded two men, with fires igniting in two separate areas.

Meanwhile, Russia's defense ministry claimed to have destroyed 121 Ukrainian drones overnight, primarily over Crimea. In the midst of the conflict, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed optimism over a newly signed minerals agreement with the United States, emphasizing that the deal brings mutual benefits despite the absence of security guarantees for Ukraine. This agreement, which took months to negotiate, focuses on joint development and investment in Ukraine's critical mineral resources. Zelensky also urged his allies to intensify efforts to pressure Russia and push for negotiations, hoping the deal would open the door for future security assurances.