The president Volodymyr Zelensky has criticized the Russian drone strike which killed five civilians in Ukraine which included a one-year old infant, the child’s mother, as well as the grandmother. The strike hit in the town of Pryluky and totally destroyed their home.
The strike destroyed all three generations in the one family. The emergency services of the local area confirmed that two others were killed in homes nearby and brought the total death number up to five. Six people were reported to have been injured.
President Zelensky responded strongly, calling the incident as an “deliberate act of terrorism” that targeted civilians. In his own words: “His wife, daughter, and one-year-old grandson were killed.”
The drone attack occurred just hours after the phone call in which Russian president Vladimir Putin and a former U.S. president. In the conversation, Putin allegedly threatened retaliation against an Ukrainian drone strike against Russian airfields. Ukrainian officials believe that this incident was part of that threat.
Photographs of the scene show demolished structures, thick smoke and emergency workers removing debris. Witnesses have described the sound of the drone before it struck and a huge explosion that engulfed the entire area.
Zelensky demanded world leaders to swiftly act and assist Ukraine to strengthen their air security. He said that the continued silence of international partners could only cause further attacks similar to this.
“This isn’t just a war. It’s targeted murder of innocent victims,” Zelensky stated.
He also stressed that Ukraine is in dire need of more weapons, particularly systems that are able to detect drones and kill them before they can reach residential areas.
Human rights organizations also expressed their concern about the rising amount of deaths among civilians due to drone war. Many argue that the drones’ use in densely urban areas is in violation of international law and puts civilians at a significant danger.
The president concluded his speech with an unforgiving reminder of the reasons Ukraine fights for its security and freedom.
