In brief
In a horrific incident, a married couple and their two young sons were killed in a Russian drone strike in the village of Chernechchyna, Ukraine. The attack directly hit a residential building, leading to local officials condemning the assault as a deliberate act against civilians. Ukraine's air force managed to intercept many drones, but some still caused significant damage. The incident underscores the intensifying aerial attacks on Ukraine amidst the ongoing conflict.
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 said a residential building was hit in the village of Chernechchyna. The bodies of the two children, aged four and six, and their parents were later recovered from the wreckage.Ukraine's air force said its units shot down 46 out of 65 Russian drones across the country - but there were 19 direct hits in six locations.Russia's military has not commented. In a statement, it said 81 Ukrainian drones were destroyed overnight in five Russian regions. No casualties were reported.Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.In a post on Telegram on Tuesday morning, Hryhorov accused Russian forces of deliberately targeting a residential building in Chernechchyna. He said the loss of an entire family was a tragedy that we will never forget or forgive. Ukraine's state emergencies service DSNS later said two residential buildings were partially destroyed in the village and posted photos showing firefighters tackling blazes after the Russian strike.In recent weeks, Russia has intensified its aerial assaults on Ukraine, regularly launching hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles. Ukraine has long been urging its Western allies to provide it with enough advanced air defense weaponry.Kyiv has been seeking Western missiles that could hit major Russian cities far from the front line. Last week, U.S. Vice-President JD Vance mentioned that Washington was considering a request by Ukraine for long-range Tomahawk missiles.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a €2 billion package to enhance Ukraine's drone capabilities. US President Donald Trump and Europe are leading efforts to end the war, although President Putin has repeatedly rejected ceasefire calls.
