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A Russian drone strike devastated a family in northeastern Ukraine overnight, killing a father and his three small children in their home in Bohodukhiv, Kharkiv region. The 34-year-old father, Hryhorii, and his children—2-year-old twin boys Ivan and Vladyslav, and their 1-year-old sister Myroslava—perished when a Geran-2 drone, a Russian version of an Iranian Shahed, struck their brick house.
The children’s mother, Olha, who is 35 weeks pregnant, survived the attack with minor injuries and was later released from hospital. According to regional officials, the family had recently evacuated from another town in the Kharkiv region and was spending their first night in their new home when the attack occurred.
“We lost what is most precious—our future,” said Bohodukhiv Mayor Volodymyr Bielyi, who declared three days of mourning in the town. “There are no words to console the family; there is no prayer that could heal the heart of a mother who has lost her children.”
Bohodukhiv, a town of about 15,000 residents before the war, lies just 22 kilometers (13 miles) from the Russian border. Public records indicate no Ukrainian military infrastructure near the destroyed house.
The attack is part of Russia’s ongoing aerial campaign targeting Ukrainian civilians. According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, 2023 was the deadliest year for Ukrainian civilians since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, with 2,514 civilians killed and 12,142 wounded—a 31% increase from the previous year.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to the attack on social media, saying: “Each such Russian strike undermines trust in everything being done through diplomacy to end this war, and again and again proves that only strong pressure on Russia and clear security guarantees for Ukraine are the real key to stopping the killings.”
The strike in Bohodukhiv was not isolated. Ukrainian officials reported two people killed and nine wounded, including two children, in separate drone attacks across the northern Sumy region on the same day. Five additional people were wounded in a residential area attack in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, and six were injured in the Kherson region.
Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russian forces of committing war crimes since the invasion began. The International Criminal Court in The Hague has issued multiple arrest warrants for Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, who stands accused of personal responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine.
Zelenskyy announced late Tuesday that Ukraine is implementing “many changes” in its approach to countering Russia’s aerial attacks, particularly focusing on short-range air defenses. The president has consistently urged Western partners to provide more sophisticated air defense systems to protect Ukrainian civilians.
However, military aid to Ukraine has declined recently. According to Germany’s Kiel Institute, which tracks international support, military aid to Kyiv dropped by 13% in 2023 compared to the annual average between 2022 and 2024, largely due to the United States halting weapons shipments under President Donald Trump’s administration.
European countries have attempted to fill this gap, increasing their military aid by 67% compared to the 2022-2024 period. Nevertheless, overall foreign humanitarian and financial aid to Ukraine fell by 5% last year compared to the previous three years.
Ukraine’s military continues to face significant challenges, including personnel shortages. Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov recently acknowledged problems with widespread desertions and approximately 2 million draft dodgers, hampering Ukraine’s ability to counter Russia’s larger army.
While Russian forces have made only incremental gains in their invasion, Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 129 long-range drones at Ukraine on Tuesday night alone, highlighting the ongoing intensity of aerial attacks against the country.
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16 Comments
The loss of these young lives is truly heartbreaking. My heart goes out to the mother and the entire family. This senseless violence must end, and those responsible must be brought to justice.
Absolutely devastating. The targeting of civilians, especially children, is a war crime that cannot be tolerated. I hope the international community takes decisive action to prevent further such atrocities.
This is a deeply disturbing and tragic incident. I’m appalled by the targeting of civilians, especially children, in this conflict. My thoughts are with the family and the entire community.
Agreed, this is a horrific act that cannot be justified. The international community must take strong action to protect innocent lives and hold the perpetrators accountable.
It’s heartbreaking to see such a senseless loss of life, especially the innocent children. My sincere condolences to the mother and the entire community affected by this tragedy.
This is a devastating event that no parent should ever have to endure. I hope the mother and her unborn child can find some solace and support during this unimaginably difficult time.
This is a heartbreaking incident that highlights the immense human toll of this conflict. My deepest sympathies go out to the mother and the entire family. I hope they can find some comfort and justice in the midst of this tragedy.
Agreed, this is a devastating event that no one should have to endure. The targeting of civilians, especially children, is a war crime that cannot be tolerated. I hope the international community takes swift action to prevent further such atrocities.
This is a devastating tragedy that no family should ever have to endure. My deepest condolences to the mother and the entire community. I hope they can find some solace and support during this unimaginably difficult time.
I agree, this is a truly horrific act. The targeting of innocent civilians, especially children, is unacceptable and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. I hope the perpetrators are held fully accountable.
This is a devastating attack on a civilian family. My heart goes out to the mother who lost her husband and children. No family should have to endure such a tragedy. I hope the perpetrators are held accountable for this senseless act of violence.
Agreed, these kinds of attacks on innocent civilians are war crimes and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. My deepest condolences to the family.
The loss of these young lives is truly devastating. My heart goes out to the mother and the entire community. I hope they can find some solace and support during this unimaginably difficult time, and that those responsible are held fully accountable.
Absolutely. This senseless act of violence against innocent civilians, especially children, is a horrific war crime that cannot be justified. I hope the international community takes decisive action to prevent further such atrocities and provide aid to the victims and their families.
This is a horrific incident that highlights the human toll of this ongoing conflict. I hope the international community takes swift action to prevent further such attacks and provide support to the victims and their families.
Absolutely. Protecting civilian lives should be the top priority. The world must come together to stop these atrocities and hold those responsible accountable.