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"I have a mighty guardian angel," says woman whose home was damaged in Russian attack on Kyiv

Friday, 12 July 2024, 09:49
I have a mighty guardian angel, says woman whose home was damaged in Russian attack on Kyiv
The story of a woman whose home was hit by a Russian missile. Photo: Ukraine’s State Emergency Service

The 8 July Russian missile attack on Kyiv damaged the Okhmatdyt children's hospital, the ISIDA and ADONIS private medical clinic, and residential areas of the capital.

Missile wreckage also struck Anastasiia's house. The woman's flat was severely damaged, and her car, which was parked near the house, burned to the ground.

Anastasiia has shared more details of that day with Ukrainska Pravda. Zhyttia.

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Anastasiia mentioned that she always went to the shelter whenever an air-raid warning was issued. However, she feared she wouldn't have enough time to reach it this time. So she and her dog took cover using the two-walls rule. [A safety rule whereby a person keeps two walls without windows between them and the street during attacks – ed.]

"When the attack started, I was in the bathroom, which ended up saving me. My dog and I sheltered behind two walls, and it turned out to be the safest place in the flat. We were not hurt," she says.

Anastasiia admits she was very lucky because her rented apartment was located halfway up the apartment block section's stairway As a result, some of her belongings survived, and she was able to take them with her.

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"There were cracks in the walls in some places, and in the bathroom and in the corridor they spread. The windows were completely smashed, and even the frames on the balcony were blown out, as they were wooden," she says.

 
The aftermath of the 8 July Russian attack on Kyiv
Photo: Anastasiia on Instagram

Anastasiia explains that she had not locked the door before the attack, so she was able to quickly get out of the apartment. As she was going down the stairs, she heard other residents of the building struggling to open their doors, banging on them and calling for help.

"Because I was in a state of shock, I couldn't find my shoes, so I grabbed my dog and ran to the shelter barefoot. As a result, I got a lot of glass in my feet. I consider it a trifle because the main thing is that we survived," she says.

Anastasiia notes that although she was not badly injured, she needs psychological support.

"There is no need for treatment as my legs are recovering. Once we find accommodation, I will focus on my mental state. I was already terrified of alarms and explosions before this incident, and now I am unsure how I can mentally return to my normal life.

But these are all trifles. I have a mighty guardian angel, and now I have two birthdays," Anastasiia concludes.

The woman and her dog are now searching for new accommodation while the apartment's owners are in the process of repairing the damage.

Background: On 8 July, Russian forces fired over 40 cruise missiles on Ukraine. In particular, one of them hit the Okhmatdyt children's hospital, where more than 600 Ukrainian children were being treated. Paediatric nephrologist Svitlana Lukianchyk was killed in the attack.

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