Elderly couple killed in Russian drone strike on Kharkiv region of Ukraine

A Russian drone attack on the settlement of Korotych in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region killed two elderly residents and affected 11 others, including two children, according to local authorities. The strike occurred overnight into Wednesday, October 21, 2026, targeting a residential area.

Kharkiv Regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported that an 81-year-old woman and an 83-year-old man were killed in the attack.

Emergency services recovered their bodies from the rubble of a damaged building. The 11 other affected individuals, among them a two-month-old boy and an eight-year-old girl, suffered acute stress reactions and received medical assistance.

The assault damaged 13 private homes and a vehicle, while a fire destroyed an outbuilding at a separate location.

The attack was part of a broader wave of Russian drone and missile strikes across Ukraine that night. Ukrainian air defenses reported engaging numerous drones during the assault, which also hit infrastructure and civilian sites in other regions.