Macabre scenes in Zaporizhzhia after strike hits apartments

Macabre scenes in Zaporizhzhia after strike hits apartments

Zaporizhzhia region is one of four territories in Ukraine -- along with Lugansk, Donetsk and Kherson -- that Russia says it has annexed
Zaporizhzhia region is one of four territories in Ukraine -- along with Lugansk, Donetsk and Kherson -- that Russia says it has annexed. Photo: Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP
Source: AFP

PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy!

From the ruins of a five-story building on the main street of Zaporizhzhia, a manicured hand with bright red fingernails protrudes from the rubble.

On Thursday, seven Russian missiles struck the industrial city just 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the artillery battles of the southern front.

Three struck the downtown, shortly after 5:00 am (0200 GMT).

AFP journalists on the scene saw rescue workers in helmets clearing mounds of rubble with their hands, searching for people trapped beneath the debris.

The female victim, carefully removed from the rubble by the rescuers, must have been in bed when the building was destroyed.

But with eyes open, she was no longer sleeping, nor alive.

PAY ATTENTION: Click “See First” under the “Following” tab to see YEN.com.gh News on your News Feed!

Read also

Ukraine troops eye 'light at end of tunnel' on southern front

An hour later, another body was found after rescuers cleared tons of rubble, as firefighters worked to extinguish a blaze from a collapsed section of a building with pieces of jagged metal protruding.

After hours spent in the fire however it was impossible to determine the identity or age of the body.

Its four limbs torn off, the body was quickly placed in a black body bag before removal from the scene.

Russian strikes battered the central Ukraine city of Zaporizhzhia on Thursday
Russian strikes battered the central Ukraine city of Zaporizhzhia on Thursday. Photo: Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP
Source: AFP

Officially, three people were killed and at least 12 were injured on Thursday morning in Zaporizhzhia.

According to one rescuer, the death toll is expected to rise to "six to 10".

A third body was found on another site, according to the same rescuer, who refused to give her name to AFP.

The head of the Zaporizhzhia Red Cross, Oksana Beketova, told AFP of another body also found at a car-wash centre, and of a woman killed in her house.

Read also

Relatives, survivors grieve at Indonesian hospital after stadium stampede

"We are continuously asking people to evacuate. (But) two bus stops from here, there are still people walking in a park," said Beketova, adding that she hopes that "people seize their chance to save themselves".

'Pure hatred'

"A lot of people will flee to other cities, especially with children, elderly parents," said Igor Osolodko, a 25-year-old musician, one of dozens of volunteers helping to remove the rubble brick by brick from another gutted building.

"For the first time in my life, I feel pure hatred," said Osolodko.

"It's absurd, it's unreal. We need to rely on our army and cope with this terror until it's all over, until we win," he said.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that 'Russians keep deliberately striking civilians to sow fear'
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that 'Russians keep deliberately striking civilians to sow fear'. Photo: Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP
Source: AFP

The overnight attacks follow gruesome shelling last week that Ukrainian officials said killed 31 people after a convoy of civilian cars in the Zaporizhzhia region.

Apart from one policeman who was killed, the other 30 victims were trying to return to the part of Ukraine under Russian control.

Read also

Anger grows against Indonesia police over football stadium tragedy

Kyiv and Moscow accused each other of the strike.

Zaporizhzhia region is one of four territories in Ukraine -- along with Lugansk, Donetsk and Kherson -- that Russia says it has annexed, with President Vladimir Putin formally signing the move into law Wednesday.

While the Ukrainian army claimed Thursday to have taken back 400 square kilometres (154 square miles) from Russia in the Kherson region, it remains unclear whether the city of Zaporizhzhia is part of the territories that Moscow considers as its own.

"I could have explained it from a logical point of view if they had hit military bases or infrastructure," said Dimitri Sirchenko, who also came to help clear rubble.

"But they hit a city centre, where there are just civilian buildings," he said.

For Sirchenko, there is no question of fleeing the city.

"To go where? There is no safe place" in Ukraine, he told AFP.

New feature: Сheck out news that is picked for YOU ➡️ find “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy!

Source: AFP

Authors:
AFP avatar

AFP AFP text, photo, graphic, audio or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer or otherwise except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service, AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, videos, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP material. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP material.