Chilling video footage has captured the aftermath of a Ukrainian nursery being targeted by devastating drone strikes ordered by Vladimir Putin. Terrified children were seen crying and screaming as they were evacuated from the destruction caused by a series of attacks at a pre-school in Kharkiv, resulting in one fatality and seven injuries.
Videos show firefighters rushing through the streets carrying the traumatized children to safety. Fortunately, all 48 children were successfully evacuated following the strikes on Wednesday morning, although one adult male was found deceased and seven others were wounded during the Russian assault.
Distressing images revealed the collapsed roof of the nursery, with shattered glass littering the floor, children’s desks amid charred debris, and thick smoke billowing from the damaged structure. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack as a blatant disregard for peace efforts, attributing the responsibility to “bandits and terrorists” under Putin’s command.
Zelensky confirmed via social media that all children had been relocated to shelters but were displaying signs of acute stress. He strongly denounced the drone strike on the kindergarten, emphasizing that such actions by Russia undermine peaceful resolutions.
The assault occurred just before a meeting between Trump and Putin was canceled, leading to the approval for Ukraine to utilize specific long-range missiles provided by Western allies. This decision empowered Kyiv to target locations deep within Russia, intensifying pressure on the Kremlin, according to US officials.
In a separate incident, Ukraine launched British-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles at a chemical plant in Russia’s Bryansk region, as shared by the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces on social media, hailing it as a successful operation. The targeted plant was identified as a key producer of ammunition and missile components used against Ukraine.
The missile strike coincided with a shift in approval processes for such attacks, transferring authority from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to General Alexus Grynkewich, the top US general in Europe and NATO commander, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.
This offensive move using UK-manufactured missiles coincided with a joint commitment by PM Keir Starmer and other European leaders to escalate economic and defense-related pressure on Russia until Putin demonstrates willingness to engage in peaceful negotiations.