A British aid worker described surviving a Russian missile attack on a hotel in Ukraine as feeling like an “apocalyptic movie.”
Karol Swiacki, founder of the UK-based charity Ukraine Relief, was in the city of Kryvyi Rih when the strike hit overnight. The attack killed at least four people and injured 31, according to local officials.
The city, which is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s hometown, was once again targeted as he attended an EU emergency summit, where he expressed gratitude to European leaders for their continued support.
‘We Were in Hell’
Speaking to BBC Radio Solent, Swiacki explained that he had traveled to Ukraine to deliver aid to shelters, orphanages, and schools. Just before the attack, he and his team had finished dinner and were preparing for the next day’s mission when an air raid alert was issued.
“We received a message warning us to seek shelter immediately—a ballistic missile was incoming,” he said.
Moments later, explosions rocked the hotel.
“In one second, everything changed. There was dust, fire, and destruction everywhere. We couldn’t see, we couldn’t breathe—it was like a nightmare,” he recalled.
Videos shared by Swiacki show his van—filled with humanitarian supplies—crushed beneath the rubble.
“It’s a miracle we survived,” he added. “This war is a nightmare for Ukraine. But we cannot stop. It’s our mission to continue supporting those in need.”
Despite the attack, Swiacki and his team still visited the school they had planned to deliver sports equipment to the following morning.
“We slept for two hours, cleaned up, and went ahead with our plans,” he said. “We couldn’t let the children down. They need to know people from the West are here for them.”
Civilians Targeted Again
The missile strike also damaged 13 apartment buildings and 12 shops, making it the second time the same hotel has been hit in five months.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Strategic Industries condemned the attack, calling it a deliberate strike on “a civilian, peaceful hotel.”
Meanwhile, UK officials reiterated that aid workers must be protected as they carry out vital humanitarian efforts.
“This is yet another example of Russia’s indiscriminate attacks on civilians,” a UK Foreign Office spokesperson said.
At the EU summit, President Zelensky reaffirmed Ukraine’s resilience:
“We are not alone, and these are not just words—we feel it.”
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4v009y2r0o