A recent Russian strike in an eastern Ukrainian village has left at least 51 people dead, an attack that has been described by a UN official as “horrifying”. The strike targeted a gathering of mourners attending a wake, with casualties including both men and women. The aftermath of the tragic incident revealed the devastation brought upon by the strike, with rescuers recovering charred bodies and transporting them in body bags.
Volodymyr Mukhovaty, a grieving father who lost his son in the attack, is still searching for his wife and daughter-in-law, who were also present at the funeral reception. The emotional toll on Mr. Mukhovaty is evident as he recounts the state in which his son’s remains were found. Fate has left him with little hope of finding his daughter-in-law and wife, as he watches the ongoing rescue efforts from a distance. Having lived with his wife for almost five decades, Mr. Mukhovaty admits that being alone without her will be difficult.
The victims of the strike included a six-year-old child, highlighting the indiscriminate nature of the attack. Ukrainian Interior Minister Igor Klymenko confirmed that a total of 60 people had been in attendance at the memorial service. The village, Groza, is situated in an area where Russian forces have been actively seeking to regain control of territory lost to Ukrainian troops in the previous year. Klymenko shared preliminary evidence suggesting the use of an Iskander missile in the attack and expressed the possibility of survivors still buried under the rubble.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was away attending a European summit in Spain, condemned the strike through a social media post. He shared an image depicting a grieving woman surrounded by lifeless bodies, emphasizing the deliberate nature of the attack and branding it a “brutal Russian crime”. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov highlighted the need for increased air defense to protect Ukraine from ongoing drone and missile strikes, calling for international cooperation to address this pressing concern.
Denise Brown, a Ukraine coordinator at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), joined the chorus of condemnation, stating her appallment at the attack and describing the scene as “absolutely horrifying”. Brown deemed the act a war crime, targeting innocent civilians and their establishments.
This attack stands out as the deadliest incident since the start of Russia’s invasion in February 2022. Regional authorities ordered mandatory evacuations in the area following an escalation in Russian strikes. Although Ukrainian forces successfully regained control of significant border territory during a previous offensive, the regional capital, Kharkiv, remains subject to regular shelling.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to President Zelensky, expressed disbelief at the attack, calling it illogical from a military perspective. Podolyak used the incident as a reminder of the reality of dealing with Russian President Vladimir Putin, referring to him as a war criminal. He cautioned against engaging with Russia and resuming business as usual until the true nature of Putin’s regime is understood.