11-Year-Old Survives Russian Drone Strike in Cherson Amid Ongoing Attacks
An 11-year-old boy was injured when a Russian FPV drone hit him in a courtyard in Cherson, and he has since recovered enough to walk again.
In Cherson, an 11-year-old named Andrij was struck by a Russian FPV drone that fell into the courtyard of a high-rise block, injuring his leg with shrapnel. After hearing the drone, he hid for several minutes before returning to the courtyard, where the drone hit him directly. His mother, Yuliia Spitsa, suspects the drone operator saw him through the camera and deliberately aimed at the child.
Ukrainian soldiers passing by administered a pressure bandage, escorted him to his mother, and later to a hospital for surgery. Doctors removed a coin-sized fragment, though other pieces remain lodged. Following a ten-day hospital stay, Andrij can walk again, though he remains fearful of further attacks. The attack is part of a broader wave of drone strikes that have wounded hundreds of civilians in the Russian-occupied parts of Cherson.
Why it matters
The story shows how civilian populations, including children, remain vulnerable to drone warfare in occupied Ukrainian cities.
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