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Desperate Search for Survivors After Missile Strikes in Poltava
In the wake of devastating missile strikes in Poltava, the urgent search for survivors intensifies. As emergency teams work tirelessly, the community rallies together in hope and resilience amidst the chaos and destruction.
Desperate Search for Survivors in Poltava
As rescue workers from the State Emergency Service worked tirelessly at the scene, Denys Kliap arrived to witness the aftermath of horrific violence. The air was filled with the sound of anguish as they pulled lifeless bodies from the rubble, some missing limbs, while others were unrecognizable, with some even lacking heads, he recounted somberly.
The devastation was palpable, with shattered glass littering the ground like confetti from a tragic event. Nearby buildings stood as hollow shells, showcasing gaping holes where windows and doors had once provided shelter and safety.
Denys Kliap, a 26-year-old director of Free and Unbreakable, a dedicated volunteer rapid response team based in the eastern Ukrainian city of Poltava, had encountered many scenes of destruction throughout his service. Yet, the horror unleashed by the missile strikes on that fateful Tuesday left him deeply shaken.
“Upon our arrival, the first image that struck me was the shocking sight of bodies strewn across the grounds of the institute,” he shared, his voice heavy with emotion.
On that day, Russian missile strikes targeted a military academy and a nearby hospital in Poltava, located approximately 100 miles from the Russian border. The suddenness of the attacks sent local residents into a panic, as they rushed to find safety in shelters. Unfortunately, many were unable to reach safety in time, with numerous reports indicating that the sirens sounded only moments before the missiles struck.
President Volodymyr Zelensky later confirmed that the strikes were executed using ballistic missiles, notorious for their supersonic speed and capability to hit any target across Ukraine within mere minutes.