At least 19 people have been killed and more than 300 injured after Russian forces launched a missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, officials say.

The strike on 24 June targeted civilian infrastructure, including a dormitory, gymnasium and an administrative building, setting off a large fire, according to Serhii Lysak, governor of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

The nearby town of Samarske was also hit, where two people were killed and 14 others injured, with several in critical condition.

“Unfortunately, there are dead and wounded everywhere,” Governor Lysak said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the casualties on social media, warning that the death toll could rise as rescue teams continue clearing debris.

Ukraine’s national railway company, Ukrzaliznytsia, said a passenger train travelling from Odesa to Zaporizhzhia was damaged during the attack. No passengers or railway workers were killed, but some were injured and are receiving medical treatment. A replacement train is being organised to evacuate stranded passengers.

The attack comes amid a NATO summit in The Hague, where Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg recently reiterated that Russia remains the alliance’s “most immediate and long-term threat”.

The latest strike highlights the ongoing violence and destruction affecting civilians in Ukraine’s conflict zones. (ILKHA)