Russian Drone Attack in Marhanets Kills Nine Amid Widespread Strikes on Civilian Targets Across Ukraine

In a devastating escalation of hostilities, a Russian drone strike on April 23, 2025, targeted a bus carrying workers in the Ukrainian city of Marhanets, resulting in nine fatalities and at least 30 injuries. This attack is part of a broader wave of Russian drone assaults that have struck civilian infrastructure across eastern, southern, and central Ukraine, including regions such as Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, Odesa, and Kharkiv. ​

Attack Details
According to Mykola Lukashuk, head of the Dnipropetrovsk region council, the drone strike hit a bus transporting employees to work in Marhanets. Governor Serhiy Lysak confirmed the death toll and reported that at least 30 individuals were injured in the attack. Emergency services also responded to a separate strike in the Synelnykivskyi district of Dnipropetrovsk, which injured two people and ignited a fire at an agricultural enterprise. ​

Widespread Civilian Impact
The drone attacks have caused significant damage to civilian infrastructure. In Poltava, a central Ukrainian region, at least six people were injured, and residential buildings, enterprises, warehouses, and garages were damaged. In Odesa, a southern port city, several fires broke out, and two people were injured in a drone attack on civilian infrastructure. Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, also experienced large-scale fires due to a Russian drone attack. ​

Air Defense and Kyiv Region
Air defense units were engaged in repelling attacks on the Kyiv region, although there were no immediate reports of damage. The Ukrainian emergency service confirmed that the attacks focused exclusively on civilian areas, underscoring the ongoing threat to non-military targets across the country. ​

International Response and Peace Talks
The timing of these attacks coincides with international efforts to initiate peace talks. Both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have expressed willingness to negotiate an agreement that would prohibit strikes on civilian infrastructure. If such bilateral talks occur, it would mark the first direct negotiations between the two sides since the early days of the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. ​

European and U.S. officials are scheduled to meet with a Ukrainian delegation in London on Wednesday for further peace talks, following their Paris meeting last week. At this meeting, Washington is expecting Ukraine’s response to a peace framework that may require Kyiv to accept Russian occupation,

Russian Claims
In response to the ongoing conflict, Russia’s defense ministry reported that its air defense units destroyed 11 Ukrainian drones overnight over several Russian regions and over the Crimean Peninsula. Regional governors in Russia stated that there were no immediate reports of damage. However, Russia has not issued an immediate comment regarding the recent attacks on Ukrainian civilian targets. ​

Conclusion
The recent drone strikes in Marhanets and other Ukrainian cities highlight the ongoing vulnerability of civilian infrastructure amidst the conflict. As international diplomatic efforts continue, the situation remains tense, with both sides signaling a potential willingness to negotiate while hostilities persist. The coming days may prove critical in determining the trajectory of the conflict and the prospects for peace.