Rescuers search for survivors after lethal Russian missile strike in east Ukraine

[November 15, 2023]  By Max Hunder
 
SELYDOVE, Ukraine (Reuters) -A Russian missile smashed into an apartment block in the sleepy eastern Ukrainian town of Selydove on Wednesday, killing two people and wounding at least three others, Ukrainian officials said.  

A view shows a residential house heavily damaged by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the town of Selydove, Donetsk region, Ukraine November 15, 2023. REUTERS/Alina Smutko

Rescuers at the site raced to clear rubble to find anyone trapped after four S-300 missiles struck the town shortly after midnight, damaging six apartment buildings and 20 homes, according to the police.

The State Emergency Service said in the afternoon that a body had been recovered from the rubble, pushing up the death toll to two. "There are probably two people under the rubble," it said on Telegram messenger.

The rescue work continued, it said.

"There were no soldiers living there, only civilians," Olha, a 64-year-old woman who lives next door to the ruined building, told Reuters.

Through tears, she said she knew a woman who had been killed.

"Of course I knew her… and her son. He was given medical help, he was recovering from an operation. But (she) died."

"People have been left with nothing," Olha said.

Her neighbour, 66-year-old Natalia, looked shocked by the night's tragedy.

"Now I'm scared to be in my own flat."

About half of the apartment block had been destroyed by the missile, which had torn out a gaping triangular hole that spanned at least ten metres at its top.

Rescuers cleared the debris and warned residents against approaching a surviving corner of the structure as it teetered, close to collapse.

A large crane assisted workers in clearing a mass of loose rubble from where the top floor once had been. Many onlookers were in shock, some cried.

Russia has carried out regular missile and drone strikes on population centres behind the front line of its 21-month-old invasion of Ukraine.

Moscow denies targeting civilians. Ukraine regularly reports that Russian missile and drone strikes have killed and hurt civilians and damaged civilian infrastructure during the full-scale war launched by Russia in February 2022.

(Reporting by Max Hunder and Ivan Lyubysh-Kirdey;Editing by Tom Balmforth, Alexandra Hudson)

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