According to local officials, two airstrikes conducted by Russian forces in Ukraine's central Dnipropetrovsk region have resulted in the deaths of at least seven individuals, including two children.

The main city of Dnipro experienced an attack on its station, while further east in Synelnykove, several residences were struck.

President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that this attack underscores the necessity for enhanced air defense systems in all Ukrainian cities.

In a separate incident, Ukraine claimed to have successfully intercepted a strategic long-range bomber from Russia for the first time.

Reports indicate that among the five casualties resulting from Russian strikes on private homes in Synelnykove, there were an eight-year-old boy and a fourteen-year-old girl. Additionally, a six-year-old boy, initially reported as deceased, is currently in critical condition, with several others sustaining injuries, as stated by Serhiy Lysak, the head of Dnipropetrovsk region.

Further casualties occurred in the regional capital, Dnipro, where the train station and a five-story building were hit, resulting in the deaths of two individuals. Over 30 people were injured during Friday's attacks in the region.

Ukrzaliznytsia, the rail operator, reported the death of a woman on duty during the attack, with seven other railway workers sustaining injuries.

Rescue operations are ongoing, with authorities warning that the casualty count may increase. Notably, a maternity hospital was among the facilities affected.

President Zelensky stressed the imperative for Ukraine and its allies to combat Russian aggression, urging international partners to expedite the provision of advanced air defense systems.

He added that he visited Ukrainian troops close to the front lines in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region on Friday.

Ukraine has for months warned that it is running low on weapons capable of bringing down Russian missiles and drones, and Nato's secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, has spoken of an "urgent, critical need" for fresh military aid.

Earlier this week, the northern city of Chernihiv was struck in Russia's deadliest attack for some time, leaving 18 dead and dozens wounded. Three Iskander cruise missiles hit residential buildings close to the centre of the city, the regional leader said.

For months, a US military aid package worth $60.8bn (£49bn) has been blocked by Republican representatives in Congress. However, the Republican leader of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, has said he is determined to bring the matter to a vote, which could take place as early as Saturday.

Meanwhile, the air force in Kyiv said it had brought down a Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber 300km (186 miles) from Ukrainian territory. It said the plane eventually went down in Russia's Stavropol region after it had launched a missile strike on Ukraine.

Regional governor Vladimir Vladimirov said the plane had gone down in a district to the north of Stavropol
Ukraine's defence intelligence described the strike as a special operation similar to an earlier attack on a Russian long-range radar plane.

In January, Ukraine's military said it had brought down an A-50 spy plane and a control centre plane over the Sea of Azov. Ukrainian media reported on Friday that the bomber had been hit by a missile fired from an upgraded Soviet S-200 air defense system.

Unverified video on Friday showed a plane on fire spiralling out of control to the ground and Stavropol regional governor Vladimir Vladimirov said only that the plane had crashed in a Russian field some distance north of the main city.

Russia's defence ministry blamed a technical malfunction after the bomber had carried out a "combat task". Two pilots had been found alive, a third crew member was killed and rescue services were looking for a fourth, the governor said.

Ukrainian air force chief Lt Gen Mykola Oleshchuk said Russia had fired six Kh-22 cruise missiles overnight and two of them had been destroyed for the first time.

The Tu-22M3 is described as a supersonic bomber and the air force commander said the planes were used to carry Kh-22 missiles for attacks on Ukrainian cities.

Too bad.
They should please stop this war.