In a devastating incident, a Russian drone attack on a petrol station in the city of Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, resulted in the tragic death of seven people, including three children. The regional governor, Oleg Synegubov, confirmed the casualties, with the youngest victim being just six months old.

The lethal attack took place late on Friday night, causing burning fuel to spill out and engulf nearby homes. As a result, at least 50 people were forced to evacuate their homes, stated Kharkiv Mayor Igor Terekhov. The fire rapidly spread, ultimately affecting 14 private houses and charring a wide area.

Firefighters and rescuers worked tirelessly throughout the night to address the aftermath of the strike. Their efforts involved extinguishing the fires and clearing debris from the affected area. Kharkiv regional prosecutor Oleksandr Filachkov revealed that three Iranian-made drones, known as Shaheds, were responsible for the destruction of a critical infrastructure object - the petrol station. The substantial amount of fuel present at the site exacerbated the severity of the fire and its devastating consequences.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian air force reported successfully intercepting 23 out of the 31 Russian-launched drones in the Kharkiv region and Odesa region. These unmanned aerial vehicles were detected in an attempt to target the aforementioned areas. Fortunately, no casualties were reported in another incident where Russian drones hit a restaurant in the town of Velykyi Berluk, located around 100km from Kharkiv.

Kharkiv has been under frequent attack since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The city has been a repeated target of Russian assault in recent weeks, with the tragedy at the petrol station being the latest in a series of devastating incidents.

As the affected community mourns the loss of innocent lives, the focus now turns to supporting the impacted families and rebuilding what has been destroyed. The international community continues to condemn these acts of aggression and calls for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.