RUSSIAN DRONE ATTACK KILLS FATHER AND THREE CHILDREN IN UKRAINE, LEAVES PREGNANT MOTHER CRITICALLY INJURED. (PHOTO).

 Russian drone attack kills father and three children in Ukraine, leaves pregnant mother critically injured

 A Russian drone struck a home in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region overnight, killing a father and his three young children and severely injuring their mother, who is 35 weeks pregnant, officials reported Wednesday. The attack completely destroyed the brick house and set it ablaze, trapping the family under the rubble. Rescue workers pulled the mother alive from the wreckage, but she sustained blast injuries, burns, a traumatic brain injury, and hearing loss. The father, 34, and the children — twin boys aged 2 and a 1-year-old girl — were killed.

The drone, identified as a Geran-2, a Russian-made version of an Iranian Shahed drone, struck the town of Bohodukhiv, located about 22 kilometers (13 miles) from the Russian border. Bohodukhiv mayor Volodymyr Bielyi declared three days of mourning, with flags lowered and public events canceled, calling the attack “a horror on our land.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strike, emphasizing that repeated attacks on civilians undermine diplomacy and underscore the need for stronger pressure on Russia and enhanced security guarantees for Ukraine. Ukraine has been seeking improved air defense systems and reinforcements for its troops as Russia continues long-range drone attacks, including 129 drones launched overnight, while Ukrainian forces have also conducted retaliatory strikes. The conflict has taken a devastating toll on civilians, with thousands killed and injured in 2025 alone, marking the deadliest year for noncombatants since the start of the war.