5-year-old miraculously survives being thrown from 5th floor by drunk dad

A 5-year-old boy has survived after being thrown from a fifth-storey window by his drunk father who claims he was having a nightmare and didn't recognise the child sleeping next to him.

The shocking incident happened in the Ukrainian city of Chuhuiv in Kharkiv province in the east of the country.

The boy's 40-year-old father, whose name wasn't disclosed by police, had reportedly been drinking all evening before getting into bed.

It's said he was having a nightmare when he woke up in a cold sweat and didn't recognise his young son, who was sleeping peacefully beside him.

He allegedly grabbed the child and threw him out of the window of their fifth-floor flat.

The boy survived the 15-metre fall as he landed on a pile of snow near the block of flats.

He was admitted to Kharkiv City Children's Hospital where he's reportedly in a stable condition in the intensive care unit.

The boy's father reportedly owned up and has since been charged with attempted murder. He could be jailed for between seven and 15 years if convicted.

Ukrainian national police chief Vyacheslav Abroskin said in a statement: "The father is crying now."

The investigation continues.