According to reports, Alexei Chernykh, an officer from Russia, was killed when a drone detonated near the border of Ukraine while he was gardening on his day off. Chernykh, the deputy chief of a local division of the anti-corruption police, was allegedly blown up on Sunday in the village of Schetinovka. Due to its close proximity to Ukraine, the village frequently experiences unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks. Baza, a Telegram channel, confirmed that a drone released a bomb on Chernykh’s property, resulting in his death. The incident occurred while Chernykh was on his day off and tending to his lawn. Social media posts indicate that Chernykh was killed shortly before his 40th birthday, which he would have celebrated today. The governor of Belgorod, Vyacheslav Gladkov, has accused Ukraine of orchestrating the drone strike and killing a “civilian.” Gladkov alleges that Ukraine dropped an explosive device from a UAV, hitting the civilian as he was mowing his grass at his summer cottage. Shrapnel wounds are said to have caused the person’s death. However, the individual’s identity has not been disclosed. If Chernykh’s death is confirmed, he would be another senior Russian official to be killed since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine. Russian sources have confirmed the deaths of about six generals, including two Lt. Generals and four Major Generals, since February 2022. Ukraine, on the other hand, claims that the actual figure is 15. Last month, General Oleg Tsokov was killed in a missile strike carried out by Ukraine. The UK and EU have both imposed sanctions on Tsokov due to his role in the war against Ukraine. Ukraine has been launching attacks deep into Russia in recent months, including targeting the Kremlin in May and carrying out multiple UAV attacks on civilian targets in Moscow. This incident marks Putin’s most devastating night yet, as four military planes at a Russian airport were damaged in what appears to be the largest drone attack on the country since the war in Ukraine began. Unconfirmed reports suggest that between 10 and 20 drones struck an airbase in the Pskov region, near the border with Estonia and Latvia, just before midnight on Tuesday. Images shared on social media depict a large black smoke cloud emanating from the site, with flames illuminating its base. For more stories like this, visit our news page.
