After a devastating night in Kyiv, rescuers are continuing their search for victims following a brutal missile strike that resulted in significant destruction. Eyewitness Oleksandr Bondarchuk described the horror he experienced, stating, “It was terrible. Everything was destroyed.”
Evhen Povarenkov, surveying the wreckage of his apartment in a Kyiv suburb, stood near police tape that marked the perimeter of an active search and rescue operation. The missile had struck during the early hours of Tuesday morning, obliterating 35 apartments in the Solomianskyi section as it traveled at approximately 500 mph. By Wednesday afternoon, authorities confirmed that 23 bodies had been recovered from the debris, with the nationwide death toll reaching at least 30, the majority occurring in Kyiv.
The attack was part of a coordinated assault by Russian forces, which unleashed over 440 drones and 32 missiles. The air raids pummeled the capital for nine continuous hours, marking one of the most severe onslaughts since the initiation of the full-scale invasion.
Povarenkov, a 43-year-old warehouse worker, described the harrowing moment the missile impacted near his bedroom. Severely injured, with cuts and a bloodshot eye, he recalled waking to smoke and chaos. “There was heat, fire, and smoke. I lost consciousness. When I came to, I heard my mother screaming,” he said, referring to his elderly mother who was asleep in the adjoining room.
Rescue efforts by neighbors helped him to break down his door and evacuate his mother, who sustained multiple severe injuries and was rushed to intensive care. More than 100 people were reported injured across the city, with many suffering from injuries caused by shattered glass and debris.
Dr. Serhii Dubrov, anesthesiologist and director at the 12th Kyiv City Clinical Hospital, noted the influx of patients shortly after midnight. His team treated 27 individuals presenting a range of injuries, including traumatic brain injuries and deep lacerations. The age of those injured spanned from 18 to 95, highlighting the vulnerabilities of the city’s aging population during such attacks.
Bondarchuk, a 64-year-old man living near the epicenter of the strike, was unable to make it to safety. He emerged from his apartment after the attack, shaken and expressing his despair: “It was terrible. Everything was destroyed.” Many residents are now relying on friends and family for shelter, while some, like Bondarchuk, are left to grapple with their loss.
Rescue operations were still underway on Wednesday, as workers continued to sift through the wreckage in search of additional victims.