A Russian drone struck a central park in Nova Vodolaha, in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, on Monday, October 19. Six people were killed, including three children, regional administration head Oleh Synehubov said. Families with children were in the park when the drone hit.

The strike hit people near a café, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said. A café was also damaged, according to local authorities.

A child in a stroller among those killed

Zelensky identified one of the children as Angelina, who was born in August 2025 and was just over a year old. She was in a stroller when the attack happened. Her mother, Inna, died in hospital, he said.

An 11-year-old girl was also killed, according to the president. Kharkiv regional police said two women and a small child in a stroller were among the dead.

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Accounts differed on the number of wounded: Synehubov reported 15 after initially giving a figure of 14, while Zelensky reported 14. Reports citing regional authorities listed seven injured children; Zelensky said six children were wounded.

Emergency services were taking injured people to hospitals in Kharkiv, Synehubov said. The initial death toll was three before he raised it to six, including three children.

Officials describe a daytime strike

A Polish news outlet, Oko.press, placed the attack at about 4:30 p.m. and identified the drone as a Geran-3. Zelensky described it as a Shahed; the differing designations were not resolved.

Synehubov called the strike a terrorist act and said the park contained no military infrastructure. He said the attack took place in daylight and urged residents to heed air-raid warnings.

Zelensky calls for more air defence

After the attack, Zelensky urged international partners to strengthen Ukraine’s air defences. He thanked those helping Ukraine shoot down drones and missiles and resist ground attacks.

He also called for sanctions against Russia to remain in force while the killings continued. His appeal included a request for Europe to maintain its support for Ukraine.

Zelensky urged the United States to take stronger action and called on international partners to use their resources to stop the war and guarantee Ukraine’s security.