Overnight drone attack by Ukraine claims lives of mother and child

A Ukrainian drone struck a family who was driving near the border in Russia's Belgorod region on Friday (May 17), killing a mother and her four-year-old son, Belgorod governor said.

The attack came after Kyiv launched a wave of drones at the annexed Crimean peninsula and Russia's southern regions overnight, in one of its largest aerial offensives in weeks.

"In the village of Oktyabrsky, a kamikaze drone attacked a car carrying a driver and three passengers- a mum, dad and a child," Belgorod region governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

"The woman died on the spot from her wounds. The child was in critical condition. Doctors tried to save him," but the four-year-old died of his injuries in hospital, he added.

The father was injured and is in shock and refused medical help, while the driver of the car was treated for shrapnel wounds to his hands, he added.

While another drone attack caused a fire at a gas station in Bessonovka village, but the flames were quickly put out, according to the governor.

The Russian-controlled port of Sevastopol on the annexed Crimean peninsula experienced a "partial blackout" after debris from downed drones struck an electrical substation, according to the city's Russian-appointed governor, Mikhail Razvozhayev.

"During the ongoing restoration work, the city will face an energy shortage, leading to isolated blackouts," he cautioned, adding that schools would cancel classes.

It is worth mentioning that Russia had intercepted or destroyed more than 100 Ukrainian drones in the south of the country and over annexed Crimea and the Black Sea overnight.

Fifty-one drones were destroyed over Crimea, 44 over the Krasnodar region, six over the Belgorod region, six over the Black Sea and one over the Kursk region, according to the defence ministry statement.

The drone wave comes as Russian forces advance along the front line, making their biggest territorial gains in 18 months as Ukraine struggles with ammunition and manpower shortages.

Ukraine has evacuated almost 9,000 civilians from its north east since Russian forces stormed across the border last week, advancing towards Vovchansk and nearby villages.

(With inputs from agencies)