"Our neighbours were killed": How 10-year-old boy survived Russian attack on Kyiv with his parents, dog and cat
Russian forces struck Kyiv with drones and ballistic missiles, destroying, among other things, a nine-storey residential building. Among the survivors is a 10-year-old boy named Viacheslav.
Source: UNICEF Ukraine
Details: UNICEF Ukraine tells the story of how Viacheslav and his family survived the attack.
"Our neighbours were killed. Our dog was scared. We couldn't find our cat for a while, and I was worried about her," Viacheslav says as he waits with his parents under the entrance of their building for the rescue operation to finish.
Russia launched the attack on the night of 13-14 November. The family woke up immediately. First, the boy heard a growing hum, then an explosion. The windows in their flat were blown out.
"A drone hit somewhere above us. We live on the first floor, but I was very scared. I feel a bit better now, but I'm worried about my room and my things. The firefighters are putting out the fire on the upper floors, and all the water is pouring down into our flat. Everything must be floating," the boy says.
The floors above Viacheslav's flat are filled with smoke — since nighttime, the State Emergency Service has been evacuating people, freeing those trapped, and clearing the debris.
"Viacheslav is holding the lead of a friendly brown dog called Chip, while his mother, Tetiana, covers the carrier holding their frightened, shivering cat with a warm blanket," UNICEF Ukraine reports.
The boy was supposed to go to school today, but instead, he is waiting for the moment when it becomes safe to enter the building and see what has happened to his things.
"My computer has probably been flooded, and I don't know if I'll be able to study now," he says, hugging his mum.
Background:
- The death toll from the Russian strike on Kyiv has risen to six: a Shahed drone hit their building in the Desnianskyi district.
- At least 35 people were injured, including children aged 7 and 10.
- A total of 27 residential buildings were damaged across the Desnianskyi, Dniprovskyi, Sviatoshynskyi, Podilskyi, Solomianskyi and Shevchenkivskyi districts.
- On 14 November, Russia attacked Ukraine with 18 missiles and over 430 UAVs.
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