Russian drone strike destroys house in Zaporizhzhia, killing two civilians
A Russian drone struck the private residential sector of Zaporizhzhia overnight on 12 September, destroying a house and killing two people. A 59-year-old woman was among those injured. The head of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Defense Council, Ivan Fedorov, reported the incident via Telegram.
Key points
- Russian forces attacked Zaporizhzhia with strike drones on the night of 12 September
- A drone hit a house in the private residential sector, destroying it
- Two people were killed: a 64-year-old woman and a 37-year-old man
- A 59-year-old woman was injured
- Rescue workers pulled two people from the rubble of the destroyed house
- Across Zaporizhzhia, Zaporizhzhia district, and Polohy district on 12 September, two were killed and 11 wounded in total, according to Fedorov
- A red-level air-raid alert was declared in Zaporizhzhia due to the drone threat
Why it matters
The strike hit a civilian residential area, killing two civilians and wounding others. It illustrates the continuing pattern of nighttime drone attacks by Russian forces on Ukrainian cities and produced both immediate casualties and the destruction of private housing.
What happened
On the night of 12 September, Russian forces attacked Zaporizhzhia with strike drones. One drone hit a house in the city's private residential sector, completely destroying it and causing fires at the scene. Rescue workers pulled two people out from under the rubble; both later died. The victims were identified as a 64-year-old woman and a 37-year-old man. A 59-year-old woman was also injured in the strike. A red-level air-raid alert was declared in the city due to the ongoing drone threat. The information was reported by Ivan Fedorov, co-head of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Defense Council, via his Telegram channel. According to Fedorov, Russian strikes across Zaporizhzhia, Zaporizhzhia district, and Polohy district on 12 September killed two people and wounded 11 in total.
Where reporting differs
Earlier reports described only one fatality — a woman — and said people could still be trapped under the rubble. Later reporting confirmed the death toll had risen to two: a 64-year-old woman and a 37-year-old man, with an additional 59-year-old woman reported as injured.
Background
On the day preceding the 12 September attack, Russian forces reportedly struck 45 populated areas in Zaporizhzhia Oblast 1,001 times, according to Fedorov, with 226 reports of damage to infrastructure, residential buildings, vehicles, and farm buildings. Russian forces regularly attack Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure using strike drones, missiles, guided aerial bombs (KABs), and multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS). Russia denies that its armed forces deliberately target civilian infrastructure during the full-scale war.