Young couple, displaced woman from Kherson Oblast, Ukrenergo employees: the lives lost in the Russian attack on Kyiv – photos
The lives of nineteen people were lost in a Russian attack on Kyiv on the night of 5-6 July. Among other targets, Russian forces hit residential buildings in the Darnytskyi and Podilskyi districts in Kyiv. Among the dead are a young married couple, a displaced woman from Kherson Oblast and women working for Ukrenergo, Ukraine's state-owned electricity transmission operator.
Ukrainska Pravda.Zhyttia (Life) has compiled information about the people whose lives were cut short by Russia.
The strike killed Iryna Hrabko, a 27-year-old displaced woman from the occupied city of Nova Kakhovka in Kherson Oblast. After her hometown was seized, she settled in Kyiv.
"My beloved little flower. You dreamed, you laughed, you lived life like no one else – you loved it. And in a single moment, they took you away from me... How am I to live without you? My bright ray of light," wrote Iryna's mother, Kateryna Hrabko.
Russia also claimed the lives of Inna Kucher and Kateryna Antiufieieva, two friends who worked at Ukrenergo. Inna headed the employee health and well-being support department, and Kateryna worked as an insurance manager.
"The girls were always compassionate and did everything possible to ensure that every company employee received quality medical care, legal advice or psychological support," the company said.
Inna's husband was also killed in the attack. The couple is survived by their son.
"We hoped until the very end that this was some terrible mistake. But no miracle came. After the difficult night we have just lived through, many of our employees were affected by the attack. This morning, the health and well-being support department would certainly have been flooded with requests. Sadly, Katia and Inna were no longer there to help anyone. Eternal memory to the victims," said Volodymyr Zaichenko, Chairman of the Board of NPC Ukrenergo.
Kateryna's landlady, Mila, wrote on social media that the young woman had moved to Kyiv from Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
Mila said: "This girl was a real joy to me. She was responsible and kind. I never wanted to charge her the full market rent because I knew she had moved from Zaporizhzhia Oblast. I would always tell her, 'Pay what you feel you can.' And she would politely reply, 'You know, this year I can pay more.' She never took advantage of anyone's kindness.
Girls as wonderful, kind, responsible and gentle as she was are rare. I'm glad I told her that. I'm glad I knew her. I'm so, so sorry. I just want you all to know that she was wonderful."
In the comments below the post, Daryna, one of Kateryna's former university classmates, also shared her memories of her.
"Katia was the head of our group during our Master's at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. She was so sincere, cheerful, kind, intelligent and ambitious. She was always there for everyone, covering for us with lecturers, creating a warm atmosphere in the group, looking out for others and making us laugh," she wrote.
The Russian attack also claimed the lives of Tetiana Hardadina, her daughter Olha Antoniuk and her son-in-law Bohdan. The family were from the village of Stara Huta in Zhytomyr Oblast.
"Three lives, three destinies, three hearts were taken at once… It is especially painful to realise that Olha was only 20 years old. Her whole life lay ahead – dreams, plans, hopes, love, family happiness. But the war mercilessly took that future away," wrote members of a local community group.
A young married couple – 19-year-old Viktoriia and her husband Anatolii – were also killed in the strike on Kyiv's Podilskyi district.
"This is a great loss for relatives, friends and everyone who knew this young family. It is hard to find words that could ease this pain even a little," said Yelyzaveta Triapkina, who knew Viktoriia from their home village of Stara Huta.
On 6 July, Radio Liberty published a video from the scene of the tragedy. Aliona, a friend of Viktoriia's, was waiting outside the destroyed building.
"She was so lovely. A very kind girl. She texted me just today to say they had bought a new television," Aliona said about Viktoriia.
Background:
- On the night of 5-6 July, Russia launched a large-scale combined attack on Ukraine using attack drones and air-, land- and sea-launched missiles of various types.
- In the capital, residential buildings, an academic building at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, the offices of Channel 5 and the Freedom Hall cultural venue were damaged.
- Kyiv Oblast was also hit. Eight people were killed there, and another 48 were injured, including four rescue workers. The highest number of casualties occurred in Vyshneve and Petropavlivska Borshchahivka.
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