A devastating Russian drone strike in the village of Chernechchyna, located in Ukraine’s north-eastern Sumy region, has claimed the lives of an entire family. The victims included a married couple and their two young sons, aged four and six. Regional head Oleh Hryhorov confirmed that a residential building was directly hit, and the bodies were later recovered from the wreckage. Ukraine’s air force reported that 46 out of 65 Russian drones were intercepted across the country, but 19 managed to hit six different locations. Russia’s military, which has not commented on the specific attack, stated that 81 Ukrainian drones were destroyed overnight in five Russian regions, with no casualties reported. This incident marks another grim chapter in the ongoing conflict that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Hryhorov accused Russian forces of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure, describing the loss of the family as ‘a tragedy that we will never forget or forgive.’ Ukraine’s state emergencies service DSNS reported that two residential buildings were partially destroyed, and images shared online showed firefighters battling blazes in the aftermath. In recent weeks, Russia has escalated its aerial assaults, deploying hundreds of drones and missiles. Ukraine continues to appeal to its Western allies for advanced air defense systems and long-range missiles capable of striking major Russian cities, arguing that such capabilities could weaken Russia’s military industry and pressure President Vladimir Putin into negotiations. Last week, US Vice-President JD Vance revealed that Washington is considering Ukraine’s request for long-range Tomahawk missiles. Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a €2 billion investment in drones for Ukraine, aimed at enhancing its defense capabilities. Despite international efforts to broker peace, Putin has repeatedly rejected ceasefire calls, as the conflict persists with high casualties and slow battlefield progress.