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Polish aid worker in Ukraine survives hotel missile strike: BBC

07.03.2025 16:25
Karol Świacki, a Polish aid worker for a British humanitarian organization, was in Kryvyi Rih, President Zelensky’s hometown, when a Russian missile struck a hotel, and he later shared his account with BBC.
A photo released by Ukraines State Emergency Service shows rescuers at the site where a Russian rocket hit a five-storey hotel in Kryvyi Rih on March 5, 2025. Karol Świacki, a Polish aid worker, was at the scene and shared his account of the incident with the BBC.
A photo released by Ukraine's State Emergency Service shows rescuers at the site where a Russian rocket hit a five-storey hotel in Kryvyi Rih on March 5, 2025. Karol Świacki, a Polish aid worker, was at the scene and shared his account of the incident with the BBC.Photo: STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE/PAP/EPA

A Russian missile attack on a hotel in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, has killed at least four people and injured 31, according to local authorities. Karol Swiacki, founder of Ukraine Relief, described the attack as feeling like "an apocalyptic movie."

Swiacki and his team, who were delivering aid, were caught in the attack while leaving dinner. He recalled the terror, saying, "Big explosions arrived – in one second, the shortest second of my life, everything turned into a nightmare," as reported by the BBC.

Swiacki and his team managed to survive despite the devastation, with his van, filled with supplies, crushed under rubble.

He emphasized the importance of continuing support for Ukraine, saying, "It's a miracle we survived," and "this war is terrible, a complete nightmare for Ukraine."

Ukrainian officials condemned the strike as an attack on a "civilian, peaceful hotel," which also damaged apartment blocks and shops.

President Zelensky, speaking at an EU summit, thanked European leaders for their ongoing support. The UK Foreign Office condemned Russia's "indiscriminate attacks on civilians" and called for better protection for aid workers.

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Source: BBC/X/@NewsHubGlobe