Russia blasted a Ukrainian kindergarten with killer drones, setting the facility aflame — with gut-wrenching photos showing terrified toddlers crying as they clung to first responders.
The tiny children were shepherded into the basement shelter by staff, huddling together in trembling silence until rescue workers arrived, according to Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov.
Rescuers and police evacuated nearly 50 children, officials said.
The frightened toddlers desperately clutched the shoulders of firemen rescuing them from the flames.
“According to the kindergarten staff, no children remained in the building,” Terekhov said in a local broadcast. “Rescuers are now working on the second floor, which has completely collapsed.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the kids were suffering from “acute stress reactions” following the strike.
“There is no justification for a drone strike on a kindergarten, nor can there ever be. Clearly, Russia is growing more brazen,” Zelensky said in a post to X.
“These strikes are Russia’s spit in the face to everyone who insists on a peaceful resolution. Thugs and terrorists can only be put in their place by force.”
Meanwhile, six others were injured in Kharkiv in additional drone strikes, which came following a night of terror in Kyiv.
Russians killed at least six civilians in the capital city in overnight drone and missile strikes.
The strikes came hours after President Trump declared he canceled his planned in-person meeting with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin because he didn’t want to “waste time.”
Last week, Trump was convinced Putin was ready to end his war on Ukraine and decided against sending Kyiv long-range Tomahawk missiles, which would ramp up the pressure on the dictator.
However, Moscow has since refused to cop to the US president’s demand that the war end along the current battle lines, according to recent Kremlin statements.
Instead, the Kremlin continues to demand that Ukraine give Russia territory in the Donbas that Moscow has been unable to take in more than 11 years of war there.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: nypost.com
