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 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 reported that its units shot down 46 out of 65 Russian drones across the country, yet there were 19 direct hits in six locations.
Russia's military has not commented on the incident, instead claiming that 81 Ukrainian drones were destroyed in five Russian regions, with no casualties reported.
Since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, there have been numerous reports of civilian casualties resulting from airstrikes. Hryhorov condemned the attack on the family as a deliberate targeting of civilians, calling it a tragedy that we will never forget or forgive.
Ukraine's state emergencies service DSNS reported that two residential buildings were also partially destroyed in Chernechchyna, and they have provided photos of firefighters tackling the resulting blazes.
In recent weeks, the intensity of Russian aerial assaults has increased, frequently involving hundreds of drones and missiles. Ukraine continues to advocate for more advanced air defense systems from Western allies to withstand the onslaught of these aerial attacks.
Alongside these concerns, Ukrainian leaders are seeking long-range missiles to strike at Russian military infrastructure far from the front lines, aiming to pressure Russia towards peace negotiations.
Last week, US Vice-President JD Vance indicated that Washington was considering Ukraine's request for long-range Tomahawk missiles, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a €2bn investment in drone capabilities for Ukraine.
As diplomatic efforts to end the conflict continue, tensions remain high, with both sides reporting significant losses on the battlefield.
