Camilla Jessen
Authorities say the incident is under investigation.
Russian forces carried out a drone strike on the city of Bohodukhiv in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region overnight on February 9, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. The attack targeted a private residential neighborhood with no military facilities nearby.
Rescuers said the unmanned aerial vehicle struck a civilian house directly. The impact was so strong that the structure was unable to withstand it.
House destroyed
Emergency crews reached the site within minutes, but found the home completely collapsed. Walls and the roof gave way almost instantly, trapping people who were asleep inside.
A fire broke out following the strike, spreading across an area of about 50 square meters. Firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze while beginning search and rescue operations among the debris.
Victims found
During the removal of rubble, rescuers recovered the bodies of two victims. They were identified as a 10-year-old boy and his mother, who had been at home together at the time of the attack.
Three other people were injured in the strike and sustained wounds of varying severity. Medical teams provided them with necessary treatment, authorities said.
War crime probe
Law enforcement officers and emergency services continue working at the scene. Investigators are documenting what Ukrainian officials describe as another Russian war crime against civilians in the Kharkiv region.
“This is yet another war crime that will inevitably be answered for. The enemy strikes where people are most vulnerable — their homes,” law enforcement officials commented.
Ongoing threat
Authorities are still establishing the exact type of drone used and assessing the full scope of damage. Officials said the attack appears to have deliberately targeted a residential area.
The Bohodukhiv district regularly comes under Russian fire. Ukrainian officials say Russia frequently uses strike drones there because their low flight altitude and maneuverability make them especially dangerous for civilian neighborhoods.
Earlier this month, on February 2, Russian forces hit a market in Kharkiv with a drone, according to Ukrainian authorities.
Sources: State Emergency Service of Ukraine, RBC Ukraine
