A Russian drone strike has claimed the lives of five people in the northern Ukrainian town of Pryluky, including three members of a family. The attack, which targeted the Chernihiv region, also left six others hospitalized. Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported that the victims included a local first responder’s wife, daughter, and one-year-old grandson.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy strongly condemned the attacks, stating that Russia is “constantly trying to buy time for itself to continue killing”. He emphasized that when Russia doesn’t feel strong enough condemnation and pressure from the world, “it kills again”. Zelenskyy urged the international community to impose maximum sanctions and pressure on Russia to change the dire circumstances.
The attack is part of a broader escalation in the conflict, with Russia launching 103 drones and one ballistic missile overnight, targeting several regions including Donetsk, Kharkiv, Odesa, Sumy, Chernihiv, Dnipro, and Kherson. In Kharkiv, 18 people were injured, including four children, in a separate Russian drone attack.
Response from Russia
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia will respond to the recent Ukrainian attacks when its military sees fit. This comes after Ukraine targeted four Russian military airfields in Siberia and the far north, damaging up to 20 warplanes, with around 10 destroyed. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov confirmed the warplanes were damaged and would be restored.
International Concerns
The conflict’s escalation raises concerns about global security, with US President Donald Trump noting that Russian President Vladimir Putin would “have to” retaliate for the strikes on Russian airfields. The US embassy in Ukraine has warned its citizens of potential major strikes.
Peace Talks
Despite direct talks in Turkiye aimed at ending the conflict, fighting and aerial attacks have intensified. Sergey Maidukov, in an opinion piece, suggests that a ceasefire is no longer on the horizon in Ukraine, as both Kyiv and Moscow seem far from committed to ending the war.