Gut-wrenching Tragedy Strikes Hroza Residents: Unveiling the Heartbreaking Aftermath
Grieving residents of Hroza pay their respects at a poignant memorial With heavy hearts, they delicately place red roses, their tear-stained faces reflecting immeasurable sorrow
Two women, Valentina Kozienko and another woman, sorrowfully make their way towards a makeshift memorial in the village of Hroza. With heavy hearts, they briefly pause, tenderly placing a red rose each as tears cascade down their cheeks.
Overwhelmed with anguish, Valentina Kozienko exclaims, "Oh, my dear neighbors. So many of our fellow countrymen lost their lives in this place."
The 73-year-old retiree resides in close proximity to the grocery store and cafe that were struck by what Ukrainian authorities confirmed to be a Russian missile, resulting in the unfortunate loss of 52 lives. Regrettably, her residence also sustained damage from the explosion.
Recalling the distressing events of that Thursday afternoon, she vividly described the impact as immensely forceful. "Upon stepping outside, I was confronted with a scene of immense devastation," she recounted, the haunting memories of the strike still fresh in her mind. "The experience was utterly terrifying... The bodies were charred, and blood was strewn everywhere."
Before the war, the village had a population of approximately 300 people. Shortly after the invasion began, Russia occupied the village. According to residents, only around 110 individuals remained in the village, with almost half of them being casualties of the strike.
"They are all from here, from our village. I knew every single one of them," she expressed.
Emergency services continued search and rescue operations on Friday, but they said they had no hope of finding any survivors.
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The grocery store and cafe hit by a Russian missile in Hroza were meters away from a children's playground.
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In this settlement near Kupiansk, in the Kharkiv region, Kozienkos pain is all too familiar.
Among the graves at the local graveyard, there is one that stands out. It belongs to Andrii Kozyr, a Ukrainian soldier who passed away a year ago in Dnipro. With the return of Hroza to Ukrainian control, his son Denis was finally able to have him reinterred here on Thursday. A ceremony in his honor was attended by many of those who lost their lives. Close by, there is another newly placed headstone with the date of Friday, indicating that funerals have already begun.
Next to it, plots have already been reserved for the soon-to-be interred. A plaque on one of these plots bears the inscription "Panteleevy family, four individuals."
Hroza is a village characterized by its close-knit community, rendering this assault particularly harrowing. In certain instances, entire families were wiped out, profoundly affecting each and every inhabitant.
Anatoliy Androsovych, who lives alone at the age of 69, shares that everyone in the village is friendly and they all lived harmoniously. However, his life took a turn when his stroke-dependent brother became unable to provide him with the necessary support, leaving him vulnerable after the recent Thursday's strike.
"My brother Mykola has passed away. May he rest in peace," he expressed. "He used to accompany me to the hospital for medical check-ups. Whenever I didn't feel well or needed to go to the hospital, I would rely on him... He would assist me."
"Now I no longer have a brother, and he was the sole caregiver for me," he further lamented. "It is simply a devastating loss. I have no idea who could commit such an act."
Most of those killed had gathered to honour fallen Ukrainian soldier, Andrii Kozyr.
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Valentina Kozienko, 73, says the Russian strike also damaged her house. "It was so scary," she said.
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Search and rescue operations by emergency services resumed on Friday morning, revealing the discovery of another body, as well as collecting unidentified human remains. Accompanied by a war crimes prosecutor, law enforcement investigators diligently documented the remnants of the Iskander-type missile that had targeted Hroza. Their actions were executed with precision, resembling a well-rehearsed routine that they have unfortunately had to undertake far too often.
The area was inundated with aid workers, distributing warm meals and providing building materials for the repair of damaged buildings. Additionally, some volunteers offered emotional support to grieving residents. Despite this impressive support network, it does little to alleviate the anger and sorrow experienced by the survivors.
