Russian drones kill a woman and 9-year-old son at home as Ukrainian civilian casualties surge

Russian drone attacks killed a 29-year-old woman and her 9-year-old son in their home in northern Ukraine on Friday, according to officials. This grim incident occurred just a day after the United Nations reported that July 2023 was the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since the Russian invasion began over four years ago.

A total of 437 civilians were killed and 2,610 injured in July, marking a 70% increase compared to the same month last year and a 30% rise from June this year. Since the conflict started on February 24, 2022, the U.N. has documented at least 16,874 civilian deaths, including 820 children, and 51,273 injuries, with 3,126 of those being children.

The Russian strike also wounded four others, including the victims' father and grandmother, who suffered severe burns and were hospitalized. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that Moscow plans to escalate its aerial attacks on Ukraine, even as discussions between U.S. diplomats and Kyiv continue.