Were Russian strikes on Ukraine's Dnipro meant to hit troops or terrify civilians? Expert weighs in

Russian missile strikes on Dnipro and Samar may have been aimed at military targets, but they could also represent a form of psychological pressure. This opinion was expressed by an expert commenting on Russia's recent attacks on civilian infrastructure.

According to him, the daytime strikes on the city of Samar may have been an attempt to hit temporary or mobile military targets.

"This is part of a broader pattern, but in my view, targets like the morning strikes on the city of Samar are clearly attempts to find something military," Stupak noted.

The expert added that in Dnipro, missiles struck a residential neighborhood and a highway. As a result, road connections between Dnipro and Samar are currently blocked. He also confirmed a missile impact near the Odesa–Zaporizhzhia passenger train.

He explained that daytime strikes differ from nighttime ones. While nighttime attacks have become "routine," Russia's military uses daytime strikes to hit so-called hot targets — objects that may change location within hours.

"They receive intelligence that a specific target is present right here, right now, but in an hour or two it might be gone. That's why they use ballistic missiles that can reach their target in just three minutes," the expert said.

According to him, the logic behind such strikes is to destroy temporary or mobile military assets before they relocate or are moved.

Russian strike on Dnipro – June 24

Earlier today, Russian forces launched missile strikes on the city of Dnipro. A passenger train operated by Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways) was also damaged as a result of the attack.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that more than 160 people were injured.

More details about the attack on Dnipro are available in the full report by RBC-Ukraine.