A devastating attack carried out by Russia this Saturday in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv left a tragic death toll of seven people, including three children, according to regional authorities.
The region's governor, Oleg Synegubov, revealed that an Iranian-made "Shahed" drone was responsible for the attack on a gas station in the city's Nemyshlyan district. This attack caused a massive fire that consumed 15 private homes and resulted in the unfortunate loss of life.
Among the victims were two young children, ages seven and four, as well as a six-month-old baby, and their parents. The remains of a couple aged 66 and 65 were also found.
🕯️Russian drones killed the family of a regional prosecutor in #Kharkiv region, as reported by the local prosecutor’s office.
Olha Putyatin was on maternity leave at the time of her death.
Her husband and 3 sons, one of whom was a 6-month-old baby, were killed alongside her. pic.twitter.com/5y9dxaMq3N
— KyivPost (@KyivPost) February 10, 2024
Images of the incident show ravenous flames consuming buildings. Authorities reported that firefighters and rescuers worked throughout the night to address the aftermath of the attack, extinguish fires and clear debris.
"The enemy’s Shaheds hit a petrol station, causing burning fuel to spill out and 14 private houses to burn (...) There was a large amount of fuel, which is why the consequences of the fire were so terrible," explained Kharkiv regional prosecutor Oleksandr Filachkov.
❗️Authorities stated that Russian UAVs struck a gas station, causing fuel to spill and igniting 15 private houses. The area affected by the fire was 3700 square meters.
The victims were residents of the houses affected by the explosion. https://t.co/kXVezdgRpT pic.twitter.com/C5vHKuSnPh
— KyivPost (@KyivPost) February 10, 2024
Ukraine stopped two dozen attacks
The Ukrainian air force announced that the consequences of the Russian attacks could have been worse, as its air defense systems managed to destroy 23 of the 31 drones launched during the night mainly to the northeastern region of Kharkiv and the southern province of Odessa.
The tragic event comes at a critical time, as the Russian invasion and conflict in Ukraine approaches its second anniversary. Russia has previously denied any intention to attack civilian sites, despite evidence suggesting otherwise.
Zelensky reacts to attack
The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, published a statement after the attack lamenting the human losses and highlighting that “reality always speaks louder than any words.”
“An entire family was killed in a fire last night as a result of a Russian strike (…) These children had not yet seen life, but were killed as a result of Russian madness,” he said.
The president also took the opportunity to send his deepest condolences to the loved ones of the victims and thanked all the people who are helping in these difficult times. “I thank everyone who helps Ukraine and Ukrainians defend against Russian terror. Every act of support is critical. It is also critical to realize that this terror cannot go unpunished or remain without a fair response. Terrorists must lose the war they started. Russia must be held accountable for every life it has harmed and ruined. This is the only way to make security a reality again,” he stated.
Reality always speaks louder than any words. An entire family was killed in a fire last night as a result of a Russian strike on Kharkiv using "Shahed" drones. Parents and their three children were killed. Oleksiy, the older son, was seven; Mykhailo, the middle son, was six; and… pic.twitter.com/qRKKujZRbQ
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 10, 2024
