Teenager dies in Koziatyn drone strike
Arina Pidruchna, 13, was killed on November 1 when a Russian drone hit an area near temporary housing in Vinnytsia Oblast.
By Zoe Harrison ·
Russia has intensified its campaign of long-range strikes across central Ukraine, targeting infrastructure and residential zones. On November 1, a Russian drone struck the city of Koziatyn in Vinnytsia Oblast, killing thirteen-year-old Arina Pidruchna.
The drone hit an area near temporary accommodation for internally displaced people. The impact zone included an educational institution. Arina lived in the village of Nepedivka with her family before moving to Koziatyn for her secondary education. She was born on May 4, 2013, and attended Nepedivka Lyceum for primary school. She also completed a mental arithmetic course with distinction at a private school in Berdychiv.
In fifth grade, Arina transferred to Koziatyn Lyceum No. 2. School officials described her as an outstanding student and class monitor. She excelled in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology, regularly winning prizes in academic competitions. She also attended a Pentecostal Sunday school in Koziatyn.
The Hlukhivtsi territorial hromada, her home administrative unit, released a statement about her final day. Arina planned to go to church with her mother and then to a humanities club. She was on her way to meet a friend near a shop close to the strike site.
According to the hromada statement, Arina was on the phone when the attack occurred. Her last words were, "I can see a Shahed [drone]." The lyceum posted a tribute calling her a kind, cheerful, and compassionate child. The school noted that her smile and kind heart would be remembered by all who knew her.
The hromada statement added that Arina was sociable and had many friends. It noted she adored her younger brother, Arsen. The funeral date and time have not yet been announced. Other recent attacks in Ukraine have killed civilians, including a mother shielding her children in Kremenchuk and two students in Chernihiv on October 29.
Local authorities are processing the details of the November 1 strike. The specific time of the funeral service remains pending official confirmation from the family and local administration.
