Russian drone kills six in Kharkiv Oblast park, including mother and her 14-month-old in a stroller. Hours later, Ukraine shows photos to US senators

On 19 October 2026, a Russian drone struck a park in Nova Vodolaha, Kharkiv Oblast, killing six people, including a mother and her 14-month-old daughter in a stroller. The attack injured 15 others, with seven of them being children. Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported that the drone circled the park several times before crashing and striking a tree near a café.

The blast wave and shrapnel then hit people at the establishment, resulting in multiple fatalities and injuries. Those killed included three women aged 28, 34, and 36, a man in his 40s, and two girls aged 14 months and 11 years. The youngest victim, Anhelina, was born in August 2025. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy displayed photos of the aftermath to US Senators Richard Blumenthal, Thom Tillis, and their colleagues during a meeting on the same day.

Zelenskyy emphasized the need for Ukraine to receive air defense and urged the continuation of sanctions against Russia until the killing stops, appealing for the US to "be strong" and implement Lindsey Graham’s law. He also called on Europe to maintain its support for Ukraine.