Ukraine: 13,000 pigs killed in Russian drone attack on Kharkiv farm

A Russian drone attack sparked a fire at pig farms in northeastern Ukraine, killing approximately 13,000 animals, rescue services announced Friday (03.10.2025). The three-and-a-half-year war in Ukraine has taken a toll on animal life, including livestock such as pigs, as previous Russian attacks—mainly with drones—have damaged barns and zoos. “Around 13,000 pigs are dead after a Russian unmanned aircraft attacked a farm in the Novopavlivka community, in the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine,” the emergency service stated, adding that one farm worker was injured. Photos released by the service show piles of dead pigs, some charred by flames, beneath the torn roof of the barn. The animals were housed across eight buildings spanning over 13,000 square meters, all destroyed by the fire, the source emphasized. In September, seven horses were killed near Kyiv during a large-scale Russian attack on an equestrian center. Zoos across Ukraine have also suffered damage since the war began in February 2022. In June, a ram was killed at the Odesa zoo in southern Ukraine.