Police officer shields injured boy, 9, during repeat Russian attack in Sumy Oblast

Police officers in Sumy Oblast have rescued a 54-year-old woman and her nine-year-old grandson after a Russian attack caused a fire at their home. When Russian forces attempted a second drone strike, one of the officers shielded the boy with his body.

Source: Ukraine's National Police

Details: The incident took place early on the morning of 14 November in Hlukhiv, Sumy Oblast. Police received a report that a UAV had hit a house. When they arrived, they found a house engulfed in flames after a fire had spread from an outbuilding.

Neighbours said a 54-year-old woman and her grandson might be inside. While one officer broke windows to get into the house, the other went around the building looking for an entrance.

In the back garden, he found the woman and boy lying on the ground. The boy's grandmother was bleeding heavily, so the officer applied a tourniquet to her leg.

"I thought I was going to die. Thank you, Mr Policeman," the boy told him.

At that moment, they heard another drone approaching. The officer tried to move the woman and child to a safer place, but there was no time. Instead, he shielded the boy with his body as the drone struck.

The second attack injured the officer and caused further injuries to the woman. The boy was injured only in the first strike. Despite his injuries, the officer and his colleague helped the civilians into a car and drove them to hospital.

All three are receiving medical treatment.

"The officers acted quickly and decisively despite the danger to their own lives. Their swift and decisive actions saved the woman and child," the police added.

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