Survivors recount powerful explosions during Russian attack on Dnipro
Consequences of the Russian shelling of the Dnipro, May 18 (Photo: REUTERS/Stringer)
Residents of the Ukrainian city of Dnipro described surviving a massive Russian attack overnight, with one woman telling Suspilne the blast was so powerful that plaster fell from the walls of the basement where people were sheltering on May 18.
“My neighbor Olena rushed out and said, ‘Run to the basement quickly because the ballistic missiles are very close.’ We were sitting there and it was extremely loud. When the strike hit, plaster even fell on our heads in the basement. I have some scratches. There was a fire in our apartment. Firefighters put it out, and our door was blocked. Thank God we are alive, but the apartment, as you can see, is completely destroyed,” a witness to the Russian attack said.
The woman recalled that the night had been terrifying.
“We were all shaking. It was so frightening that we couldn’t understand what was happening at all. We were in such a state of shock that we still haven’t recovered,” she said.
Danylo, the chief engineer of the damaged residential building association, said one of the Shahed drones struck an apartment in the high-rise building.
“First, during the night, a Shahed hit the roof of the building. The fire was extinguished and everyone left. In the morning we went to inspect the area and saw part of the drone sticking out of an apartment window and debris on the ground. There was an engine and other parts there. The drone no longer had its warhead, and miraculously everything turned out okay,” he said.
Massive attack on Dnipro and surrounding Oblast
Russia struck the city of Dnipro overnight with Shahed drones and missiles, injuring 18 people, including a 2-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy. Authorities reported hits on a warehouse storing pyrotechnics and on a residential neighborhood, where homes caught fire.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Oblast suffered significant destruction, including strikes on energy infrastructure.
According to regional authorities, six districts in Oblast came under Russian attack, damaging businesses, homes, gas stations and vehicles. Several people were wounded.
Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 22 missiles overnight, including 14 ballistic missiles, along with 524 attack drones. The main target of the assault was Dnipro Oblast.
Will you support Ukraine’s free press?
Dear reader, as all news organizations, we must balance the pressures of delivering timely, accurate, and relevant stories with requirements to fund our business operations.
As a Ukrainian-based media, we also have another responsibility – to amplify Ukraine’s voice to the world during the crucial moment of its existence as a political nation.
It’s the support of our readers that lets us continue doing our job. We keep our essential reporting free because we believe in our ultimate purpose: an independent, democratic Ukraine.
If you’re willing to support Ukraine, consider subscribing to our Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.
Please help us continue fighting Russian propaganda.
Truth can be hard to tell from fiction these days. Every viewpoint has its audience of backers and supporters, no matter how absurd.
If conscious disinformation is reinforced by state propaganda apparatus and budget, its outcomes may become deadly.
There is no solution to this, other than independent, honest, and accurate reporting.
We remain committed to empowering the Ukrainian voice to push against the muck. If you’re willing to stand up for the truth – consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. Thank you very much.
Will you help tell Ukraine’s story to the world?
Twenty years ago, most people hadn’t even heard of Ukraine. Today, the country is on everyone’s lips and everyone’s headlines. War pushed us on the front page. But there are many other things we do that we are proud of – from music and culture to technology.
We need your help to tell the world Ukrainian story of resilience, joy, and survival. If you’re willing to back our effort, consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
