In a harrowing turn of events, British and American humanitarian volunteers narrowly escaped a Russian ballistic missile strike that hit the Centralny Hotel in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, killing four people. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that the volunteers survived the attack after they managed to get down from their rooms shortly after checking in.
The missile strike, which took place on [date], resulted in the death of four individuals, while more than 30 people were injured. According to Zelensky, the rescue operation at the hotel, which lasted throughout the night, saw 14 of the 31 injured in serious condition.
How the Volunteers Survived
In a post on Telegram, Zelensky recounted the tragic event, saying the missile hit an ordinary hotel in the early hours of the morning.
“Just before the strike, volunteers from a humanitarian organisation, citizens of Ukraine, the United States, and Britain, checked into the hotel,” he wrote. “They survived because they managed to get down from their rooms. But, unfortunately, four people were killed in the attack.”
The Aftermath
The scale of the devastation was significant, with the missile strike also causing damage to nearby civilian buildings, including 14 apartment blocks, a post office, and 12 shops. Ukrainian authorities reported that rescue teams were still at the site, continuing their work to help those trapped in the rubble.
Pictures from the scene showed smoke billowing from the top of the five-storey building as rescue crews navigated the wreckage with ladders. A crane was deployed to assist teams in accessing the higher levels of the damaged hotel.
Impact on Civilians and Volunteers
While the volunteers from the UK and US were fortunate to survive, many civilians were not so lucky. The Governor of Dnipropetrovsk reported that more than 30 people were injured, with 14 of them in serious condition.
Emergency services confirmed that 19 people had been rescued from the site, as crews worked tirelessly through the rubble.
In addition to the hotel, the attack left extensive damage to surrounding infrastructure, including the Odesa energy grid, where two people were injured by further drone strikes in the region.
Rising Tensions as the War Continues
This attack comes at a time of growing tension between Russia and Ukraine, with the US suspending intelligence-sharing and military aid to Kyiv, a decision that could undermine Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against such missile threats.
Zelensky, in his statement, called for continued pressure on Russia to halt its aggressive actions, emphasising that there should be no pause in the efforts to end the war and terrorism that continues to devastate civilian life.
“There can be no pause in the pressure on Russia to stop this war and terror against life,” he said.
As the conflict continues, Ukrainian forces remain on high alert, with Russian missile and drone strikes still targeting vital infrastructure, placing innocent lives at further risk.
