A Russian drone struck a passenger minibus near Nikopol in southeastern Ukraine on Wednesday, September 16, killing five people and wounding at least seven, according to regional officials. The attack hit civilian transport close to the frontline, where communities across the Dnipro River from Russian-held territory face persistent threats from drones and other weapons.
🚨 BREAKING: A Russian drone strike targeted a passenger bus in the Dnipropetrovsk region, killing five people at the scene and injuring at least seven others, local authorities reported. pic.twitter.com/NCi8cDENHM
— UNITED24 Media (@United24media) September 16, 2026
Dnipropetrovsk regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha reported the strike and released an image showing a badly damaged white minibus with shattered windows. Mykola Lukashuk, head of the regional council, said the vehicle was carrying people going about their normal daily activities.
Five killed and seven wounded near Nikopol
The attack occurred in the Nikopol district, an area repeatedly hit during the war. Hanzha said five people were killed and at least seven others required medical treatment.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later described the weapon as an FPV drone. Reuters initially identified it more broadly as a Russian drone, meaning the specific FPV identification comes from the Ukrainian president’s account.
Authorities had not publicly identified the victims in the initial reports or provided a detailed breakdown of the conditions of those wounded.
Location leaves Nikopol particularly exposed
Nikopol sits on the Ukrainian-controlled bank of the Dnipro River, only several kilometres from Russian-occupied territory on the opposite side. That geography has made the city and surrounding communities regular targets during the conflict.
The Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is also located across the river from the wider Nikopol area. For residents, the proximity of occupied territory means the risks of war can affect routine journeys as well as homes and infrastructure.
There was no immediate Russian comment on the bus strike when Reuters reported the attack. Russia and Ukraine both deny deliberately targeting civilians.
Passenger train struck in separate attack
The deadly bus strike came as Ukraine reported separate attacks affecting its railway network on the same day.
Zelenskyy said a locomotive pulling a regular passenger train in the Mykolaiv region was hit. A railway station and diesel locomotive were damaged, but railway personnel had warned passengers in time. He said nearly 170 people were evacuated and nobody was injured.
Zelenskyy also reported that an electric locomotive in Kovel was struck. The incidents follow a recent Russian drone strike affecting a passenger train near Lutsk, where an evacuation also prevented reported passenger casualties.
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Transport routes face growing pressure
The September 16 incidents highlight a difficult security problem for Ukraine: protecting transport systems that civilians rely on every day. Buses, trains, stations and railway equipment operate across thousands of kilometres and cannot be protected in the same way as a single strategic facility.
The threat is especially acute near the frontline, where drones can reach roads and vehicles over relatively short distances. Further from the front, long-range drones continue to pose risks to railway and logistics infrastructure.
Ukraine has been working to strengthen protection around critical infrastructure and transport facilities. The Ukrainian presidency said additional protection systems were being prepared for railway facilities and other important infrastructure.
Wider attacks reported across Ukraine
Ukrainian authorities also reported attacks affecting Kyiv and the Kherson, Donetsk and Poltava regions. The Ukrainian Air Force said Russia launched 80 drones overnight into September 16, of which 63 were shot down or suppressed. Those figures are Ukrainian military assessments and cannot always be independently verified during an active conflict.
The earlier attack on Ukrainian passenger rail transport and Wednesday’s incidents show how transport infrastructure has become an important civilian safety concern as drone attacks continue.
Investigation follows deadly bus strike
Ukrainian prosecutors opened proceedings following the Nikopol attack under the country’s law covering alleged violations of the laws and customs of war. Opening an investigation is not itself a legal determination that a war crime occurred.
Zelenskyy responded to Wednesday’s attacks by calling for continued international pressure on Russia and stronger protection for Ukraine. His comments represent the Ukrainian government’s position amid continuing discussions over sanctions and military assistance.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. As of the latest confirmed information on September 16, the Nikopol passenger bus strike had left five people dead and at least seven wounded, with authorities continuing to investigate the circumstances of the attack.
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