“He died behind me.” The accounts of the victims of the Russian attack on the market

PAt least 16 people were killed and more than 30 wounded in a Russian attack that hit a market in the eastern Ukraine town of Kostiantynivka on Wednesday morning. A day later, the Reuters news agency was at the scene and spoke with some people, who saw friends and acquaintances die.

“I saw many women [feridas]aged 30 or over”said Bohdan Oriekhov, a market worker, who was also injured in his hand. “And a man who was brought in on a stretcher – he was hysterical, he was screaming and crying, ‘Where is my wife? What happened to my wife?'”he added.

Another worker, identified only as Volodymyr, recalled that that day “someone with a child” went to visit a vendor at a kiosk near his. After the bombing, “there were three corpses: a small child, the saleswoman and her friend”.

Olena Lavryk also lost a friend, who died “right behind” her. “There was an explosion, flames… I wasn’t afraid at first. The fear came 10 minutes later. A good acquaintance died where I was. She was a young woman, she sold groceries. She died right here behind me”he recalled.

Another woman, who sold cosmetics, was also killed in the attack. “She was on fire, her clothes were on fire. She was also a young woman”said Olena.

After the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky blamed the “artillery of Russian terrorists” and criticized those who “still try” to negotiate with Russia. “A normal market. Shops. A pharmacy. People who didn’t do anything wrong. Many injured. Unfortunately, the number of dead and injured could increase,” he lamented on social media.

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