A Russian drone strike killed an entire Ukrainian family, including two young children and unborn twins, in northeastern Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast overnight on 30 September. Authorities reported the targeted attack, which obliterated a residential house in the village of Chernechchyna in the Krasnopillia community.

Family of four killed as drone hits home in Chernechchyna

Overnight on 30 September, at approximately 02:40, a Russian drone deliberately struck a residential house in Chernechchyna, Sumy Oblast, according to the head of the oblast, Oleh Hryhorov. The attack killed a young family of four: a 35-year-old man, his 26-year-old pregnant wife, and their two sons, aged 6 and 4. Rescuers recovered all four bodies from under the rubble.

Hryhorov stated that the drone hit the house with clear intent.

“Unfortunately, no one managed to survive,” he said. “This is a terrible and irreparable loss for the entire community and the oblast.”

The Sumy Oblast Prosecutor’s Office confirmed the family’s death. Prosecutors opened a war crimes investigation under Part 2 of Article 438 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) is conducting the investigation.

Children and unborn twins among the victims

The victims were identified as Aliona and Oleksandr Lesnichenko and their sons, Yehor and Denis. Locals told Suspilne that the mother had been pregnant with twins. Chernechchyna Gymnasium, the local school, confirmed that the boys were students and expressed collective condolences.

“This is an irreparable loss not only for their family, but for our entire community,” the school wrote.

Krasnopillia community declared 30 September and 1 October as official days of mourning.

Drone attack also injures civilian in Myropillia

Hours before the Chernechchyna strike, another Russian drone attack injured a 23-year-old civilian in the Myropillia community, also in Sumy Oblast. The man was riding a motorcycle when the drone struck. Hryhorov said the victim was in serious condition and hospitalized.

Dozens of drones launched overnight, Ukraine’s Air Force reports

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched 65 one-way attack drones overnight from multiple directions, including Bryansk, Oryol, Kursk, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, and the Russian-occupied Crimean cape of Chauda. The wave included Shahed, Gerbera, and other drone types.

Air defenses, including aviation units, electronic warfare systems, and mobile fire groups, were deployed across the north, east, south, and central parts of Ukraine. As of 09:00, 46 drones were reported downed or suppressed. However, at least 19 drones reached their targets in six locations, and debris from intercepted drones fell in two more.

Ukraine’s military reported that new groups of Russian drones continued entering northern and eastern airspace at the time of the reporting around 9:00 a.m.