An entire family - a married couple and their two young sons - have been killed in an overnight Russian drone attack in Ukraine's north-eastern Sumy region, local officials have said.
Regional head Oleh Hryhorov stated that a residential building was struck in the village of Chernechchyna. The bodies of the two children, aged four and six, along with their parents, were later recovered from the wreckage.
Ukraine's air force reported that its units managed to shoot down 46 out of 65 Russian drones across the country; however, there were still 19 direct hits in six locations.
Despite the ongoing conflict, Russia's military has not commented on this specific attack. They affirmed that 81 Ukrainian drones were destroyed overnight in five Russian regions, with no reported casualties.
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine commenced in February 2022, and the situation has escalated with many civilian casualties. Hryhorov accused Russian forces on Telegram of deliberately targeting the residential building in Chernechchyna, describing the loss of the family as a tragedy that we will never forget or forgive.
In recent weeks, aerial assaults from Russia have intensified, regularly involving hundreds of drones and missiles, which has prompted Ukraine to call for more extensive air defense systems from its Western allies.
Also, discussions are ongoing about Ukraine seeking long-range missiles capable of striking major Russian cities to weaken Russia's military capabilities.
In a related announcement, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that €2 billion will be spent on drones for Ukraine, enhancing their defense capabilities.
As peace talks remain stalled, the conflict continues to take a heavy toll on innocent lives.
