Russian drone attack hits dairy farm near Kyiv – four dead

The victims in Brovary were employees of the food production facility. Eyewitnesses and local authorities spoke of a rapid evacuation of the shifts that were still working, yet not all employees could be brought to safety in time. The exact identity of the deceased was not officially confirmed at first.

Further Casualties in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson

Parallel to the attack near the capital, Russian drones also struck in other regions of Ukraine. In Zaporizhzhia, 16 people were injured according to official reports. There were further deaths in the Kherson and Dnipropetrovsk regions, where the Ukrainian air defense reported neutralizing some of the incoming drones.

The Russian Ministry of Defense, in turn, reported shooting down 123 Ukrainian drones during the night, including in the Moscow region. In the St. Petersburg area, where an economic forum is currently taking place with Russian President Vladimir Putin, no drones were intercepted according to Moscow.

The attack on the dairy farm intensifies the debate about the protection of civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. The fact that a plant for infant formula was hit has caused international outrage and raises questions again about compliance with international humanitarian law.

Diplomatic Signals Between Kyiv and Moscow

On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed a direct meeting with the Russian President in an open letter. He named "Switzerland, Turkey, or countries in the Arab world" as possible locations. The Kremlin responded by stating, "Zelenskyy can come to Moscow at any time."

A concrete answer to the new mediation proposal is therefore still pending. International observers view Moscow's choice of words as unconstructive, as Zelenskyy has repeatedly emphasized that he does not want to travel to the Russian capital for security reasons.

Aid Measures and International Reaction

Meanwhile, aid efforts are continuing in Brovary. In addition to rescue workers, emergency services personnel are also deployed to extinguish the fire and search for any further victims. Production at the plant, which was one of the main suppliers of infant formula in the Kyiv region, is temporarily suspended due to the destruction.

The Ukrainian government announced that it would provide financial support to the families of the deceased. At the same time, concerns are growing about a further escalation of air attacks, as Russian forces have significantly increased the number of nighttime drone operations in recent weeks.

Ukraine's international partners, including several European capitals, condemned the attack on the food production facility. They reiterated their call for increased deliveries of air defense systems to at least curb similar strikes on civilian targets in the future.