Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine
A Russian drone struck the central park in Novo Vodolaha, a settlement in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, on Monday, killing six people, including three children.
Another 15 people were injured, half of them children, Interior Minister Ivan Vyhivskyi announced, The Caspian Post reports, citing the Kyiv Post.
The park was crowded with people, including families with young children, when the drone hit the area. Among those killed was an infant who was lying in a stroller.
“Another Russian strike on civilians,” Vyhivskyi said. “An attack on children that had no military purpose whatsoever.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack in a statement on Telegram, describing it as “absolute brutality.”
He also identified the youngest victim as Anhelina, a little girl who was just over a year old and was killed while lying in her stroller.
“Her mother’s name was Inna; she died in the hospital… The other girl who was killed was 11 years old. My condolences to their families and loved ones,” Zelenskyy said.
He called on allies to provide more air defense and pushed back against Washington’s latest sanctions waiver, urging partners to keep up the pressure on Moscow.
“One cannot think about money with Russia while it continues its senseless war. We ask that sanctions on Russia NOT be lifted while the killing continues. We ask America to be strong, we ask that the Lindsey Graham law be applied,” Zelenskyy said.
The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office said Russian forces struck the park at roughly 4:30 p.m. local time.
Preliminary findings point to a Geran-3, the Russian designation for a jet-powered version of the Iranian-designed Shahed attack drone.
Besides the casualties, the blast damaged a cafe building near the site.
Share on social media