Animals killed, injured in Russian drone strike on Ecopark near Kharkiv

Head of the park’s zoo veterinary department Ivan Dostov shared the details with journalists, as reported by a Ukrinform correspondent.

“Five animals were injured, and two others were killed. The strike hit the central part of the park, which is the petting area where adults and children come to feed the animals. All the animals here are domesticated, used to people, and playful. It’s heartbreaking, but this is the reality we live in today,” said Dostov.

The two animals killed were goats from the petting zoo.

Beyond the loss of animals, the park suffered extensive destruction.

“Windows shattered, metal sheets torn off enclosures. The mother-and-child center and medical facility were destroyed. Glass windows were shattered even 200 meters away from the impact site. We rebuild, they destroy – this has been our reality for four years now,” Dostov added.

The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office announced on Telegram that a pretrial investigation has been launched into war crimes under Article 438, Part 1 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code.

“The investigation established that on March 3, around 1:00, an enemy UAV attacked the village of Lisne. The strike hit the ecopark area near the petting zoo, destroying enclosures and killing animals.”

As reported, at the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the Ecopark was caught in the crossfire. Six people (including staff and volunteers, one of whom was a 16-year-old boy) were killed while trying to feed and evacuate the animals. The Russian forces shot some animals directly in their enclosures. The park was partially rebuilt, and animals were gradually returned from evacuation.

Feldman Ecopark has been repeatedly targeted by the Russian forces. Since Russia intensified its offensive in northern Kharkiv region in 2024, attacks on the Ecopark have become more frequent.