Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has issued a forceful condemnation of Russia following a devastating drone attack that struck a residential home in central Ukraine overnight, resulting in the deaths of three members of one family, including a one-year-old baby. The incident, which occurred in the city of Pryluky, claimed a total of five lives, spanning three generations of a single family.
According to officials, a local firefighting chief was responding to an earlier attack when a Russian drone hit his own house, killing his wife, daughter, and infant grandson. Photographs from the scene depicted homes engulfed in flames, thick smoke rising into the night sky, and emergency responders battling the inferno. By dawn, images released by emergency services showed a firefighter standing amidst the charred remains of a home, its roof destroyed and debris scattered throughout.
President Zelensky accused Moscow of attempting to “buy time for itself to continue killing,” emphasizing that Russia’s repeated rejection of calls for a full and unconditional ceasefire necessitates “maximum sanctions” and “pressure” from Western nations. “Russia is constantly trying to buy time for itself to continue killing. When it does not feel strong enough condemnation and pressure from the world, it kills again,” Zelensky stated. He called for decisive action from the United States, Europe, and the global community to help end the violence.
The attack comes amid a surge in fighting and aerial assaults across Ukraine. In recent weeks, Russia has intensified its campaign, launching tens of thousands of aerial attacks since the start of 2025, including nearly 27,700 aerial bombs and over 11,000 Shahed drones, according to Zelensky. The escalation has persisted despite two rounds of peace talks in Istanbul.
Elsewhere, a Russian drone strike on the northeastern city of Kharkiv wounded 18 people, including four children, further highlighting the ongoing humanitarian toll of the conflict. Since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, tens of thousands have died, vast regions of Ukraine have been devastated, and millions have been displaced.
