Russian strike on Pryluky in Ukraine’s Chernihiv Region kills at least 19, including five children, in deadliest attack of the past month

Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Pryluky on October 7 has claimed at least 19 lives, including five children, making it the deadliest attack in Ukraine in the past month. The devastating missile hit a five-story residential building around 6 a.m. local time, causing the rescue crews to recover bodies of the young victims from the rubble.

Initial reports from Chernihiv Region police indicated that three sites were hit, with a residential building, a children's creativity center, and an unidentified business among them. Chernihiv regional governor Vyacheslav Chaus reported that the strike occurred while people were still asleep. The death toll rapidly rose from 9 to 13, and finally, President Volodymyr Zelensky's latest update brought the toll to 19.

Rescue operations are ongoing as over 50 people were wounded, with three of them in serious condition. The strike is the deadliest in Ukraine so far this month, with a total of 25 deaths and 100 injuries reported. President Zelensky called it a "gift" from Putin for his birthday, describing the horror of the young lives lost, including three children who were just one year old.