Two killed in Ukrainian drone attack on car in Kherson region, governor says
In short
A Ukrainian drone struck a passenger car near Rykovo in the Genichesk district of Kherson region, killing local baker Alexander Kolotun and his 15-year-old daughter Anna, regional governor Vladimir Saldo said. The car was destroyed about 120 km from the line of contact, according to Saldo. Kolotun and his wife Tatiana were raising 13 children, and the family was expecting a 14th, the governor said.
Read the full story 1 min read
Two people were killed when a Ukrainian drone struck a passenger car near Rykovo in the Genichesk district of Kherson region, regional governor Vladimir Saldo said. According to the governor, the car was completely destroyed and was about 120 km from the line of contact. Interfax and Kommersant identified the dead as Alexander Kolotun and his 15-year-old daughter Anna, and Kommersant said Kolotun was a local baker. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 ]
Saldo said Kolotun and his wife Tatiana were raising 13 children, and that the family was expecting a 14th child. He said that in June President Vladimir Putin personally awarded Tatiana the Order “Mother Heroine”. The governor expressed condolences to the family and said it would receive all necessary assistance. [ 3 , 5 , 6 ]
Regional officials reacted to the deaths in statements carried by TASS. Kherson region children’s ombudsman Irina Kravchenko called the attack terrorism and said such actions cannot be justified. Kherson region Duma speaker Tomilina called it a ruthless act of terror and said retribution would reach not only the person who carried out the order to send the drone at the car but also Vladimir Zelensky personally. Other regional officials described the deaths as genocide. [ 8 , 11 , 12 ]
TASS also reported background on the victims: that the family bakery delivered bread to Alyoshki, that Kolotun had helped evacuate a pregnant woman from Radensk in August, and that senator Kastukevich would help the family. RIA Novosti reported that the region’s ombudsman spoke about the dead man. [ 7 , 9 , 10 , 13 ]
No document contains any comment from Ukrainian authorities on the incident, and the documents give no specific time for the attack beyond the governor’s statement that it happened in the morning. [ 3 , 5 , 6 ]
Why it matters
The deaths were reported by Russian state and business outlets and drew statements from Kherson region officials, who described the strike as terrorism and genocide. The case is being presented by regional authorities as an attack on a large family far from the front line, and officials pledged assistance to the family. The documents contain no comment from Ukrainian authorities.
Key facts
- A Ukrainian drone attacked a passenger car near Rykovo in the Genichesk district of Kherson region, regional governor Vladimir Saldo said. [ 3 , 5 , 6 ]
- Alexander Kolotun and his 15-year-old daughter Anna were killed, according to the governor. [ 3 , 6 ]
- The car was completely destroyed and was about 120 km from the line of contact, Saldo said. [ 5 , 6 ]
- Kolotun was a local baker and, with his wife Tatiana, was raising 13 children; the family was expecting a 14th child, the governor said. [ 3 , 5 , 6 ]
- In June, President Vladimir Putin awarded Tatiana the Order “Mother Heroine”, according to the governor. [ 3 , 6 ]
- Regional officials said the family would receive all necessary assistance. [ 3 , 5 , 6 ]
- Kherson region children’s ombudsman Irina Kravchenko called the attack terrorism, saying such actions cannot be justified. [ 8 ]
- TASS reported that the family bakery delivered bread to Alyoshki, and that Kolotun helped evacuate a pregnant woman from Radensk in August. [ 7 , 9 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- A man and his 15-year-old daughter were killed in a drone attack on a car in Kherson region. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 ]
- The attack occurred near Rykovo in the Genichesk district and was carried out by a Ukrainian drone, according to regional governor Vladimir Saldo. [ 3 , 5 , 6 ]
- The man killed was the father of 13 children. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The governor said the family of the victims would be given all necessary assistance. [ 3 , 5 , 6 ]
- President Vladimir Putin awarded the victims’ wife and mother the Order “Mother Heroine” in June, according to the governor. [ 3 , 6 ]
Still unclear
- The exact time of the attack. The governor said only that it happened “this morning”; no outlet gives a specific time.
- The spelling of the victim’s surname. Interfax, Vedomosti and Kommersant write “Kolotun”, while TASS writes “Koltun”.
- Ukrainian authorities’ account of the incident. No document contains any comment from Ukrainian officials or the Ukrainian military.
- The characterisation of the strike as “terrorism” or “genocide”. These are statements by Kherson region officials reported only by TASS, not independently supported facts.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TASS reports that two people were killed in a drone attack on a car in Kherson region. [ 1 ]
- RIA Novosti reports that a father of many children and his daughter were killed in what it calls an attack by Ukrainian forces. [ 2 ]
- Interfax reports governor Vladimir Saldo’s statement naming Alexander Kolotun and his 15-year-old daughter Anna as the dead. [ 3 ]
- Vedomosti reports the car was 120 km from the line of contact and that the family was expecting a 14th child. [ 5 ]
- Kommersant reports the dead man was a local baker, father of 13 children. [ 6 ]
- TASS reports the family bakery delivered bread to Alyoshki. [ 7 ]
- Kherson region children’s ombudsman Irina Kravchenko calls the attack terrorism. [ 8 ]
- TASS reports Kolotun helped evacuate a pregnant woman from Radensk in August. [ 9 ]
- TASS reports senator Kastukevich will help the family of the dead man. [ 10 ]
- Regional Duma speaker Tomilina calls the attack a ruthless act of terror and says retribution will reach those responsible and Vladimir Zelensky personally. [ 11 ]
- Kherson region officials describe the deaths of the father and daughter as genocide, TASS reports. [ 12 ]