Pavlohrad mourns five killed in Russian attack as Ukraine warns of growing strikes on infrastructure

The Ukrainian city of Pavlohrad, in the Dnipropetrovsk region, is holding a day of mourning on Friday after a Russian attack killed five people the previous day. Across the wider region, the attacks left seven people dead in total and 79 injured.

Dnipropetrovsk regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha described the strike as another crime committed by Russia against peaceful people — those who lived, worked and raised children in the area. He said Russian attacks continue to bring death and destruction to Ukrainian cities and villages.

Ukraine's foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, said Russia is deliberately targeting places where it knows civilians will be going about their daily lives, aiming to maximise casualties, spread fear and pressure Ukrainian society. He described this as a tactic of coercion, arguing that Moscow believes relentless attacks on civilians can wear Ukrainians down and force the country into making concessions.

Strikes also hit Kyiv and Dnipro

The Pavlohrad attack came amid a broader intensification of Russia's air campaign in recent weeks. Separate strikes also hit a petrol station in Kyiv and an agribusiness facility in the southeastern city of Dnipro.

Ukrainian prime minister Sergii Koretskyi said Russian attacks on businesses and civilian infrastructure are rapidly growing, and called on the government to respond and act in advance rather than react after the fact.