Ukrainian officials seek accountability following tragic Odesa attack claiming 12 lives, 5 of them children
The survival of Serhiy Haidarzhy hinges on a simple twist of fate as his wife's slumber spares him. Nightly routine turns pivotal as Anna cares for baby Tymofii while Serhiy tends to daughter Liza, narrowly avoiding the Odesa strike's wrath.
Serhiy Haidarzhy is probably still alive because his wife Anna fell asleep. Like every night, Anna was in the bedroom with their 4-month-old baby boy Tymofii, while Serhiy was putting their older daughter Liza to bed in her own room.
"I often fall asleep in the room with Liza, then Anya wakes me up and asks me to come to her," he shared at the memorial service on Sunday.
"That particular night, she fell asleep with Tymofii and didn't call for me. Unfortunately, that was the night the Lord took them both," he added.
Anna and Tymofii tragically lost their lives in a Russian attack that occurred early on Saturday. The drone strike destroyed their apartment in Odesa, southern Ukraine, leaving nothing but a pile of concrete and bricks. Remarkably, the narrow room where Serhiy and his two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Liza, were sleeping remained untouched by the devastation.
After the attack, Serhiy endured a heart-wrenching 16-hour wait in the courtyard of the building, desperately hoping for any sign of his wife and child. Sadly, when rescue workers finally located them, it was confirmed that both Anna and Liza had passed away.
He told the congregation that he was very worried that they suffered, but the doctors said they died in their sleep. They were found in the same position they fell asleep, and they were together, according to the video of the event viewed by CNN.
A relative of Anna told CNN that Liza doesn’t understand what happened to her mother and brother. She has been told that they’re now in heaven.
The photograph, shared by the Haidarzhy family, shows Anna and Tymoffi sleeping in the same way as on the day of the attack.
The photograph, shared by the Haidarzhy family, shows Anna and Tymoffi sleeping in the same way as on the day of the attack.
Odesa, a crucial city in southern Ukraine, has unfortunately faced Russian strikes before. However, the recent attack on Saturday targeting a high-rise residential building was extremely devastating. Tragically, twelve individuals lost their lives and twenty others were injured, with some in critical condition.
The site of the attack is now filled with flowers, candles, and toys as locals mourn with sadness and anger.
Investigators are working to identify the type of drone that was used in the attack. The damage to the building was extensive, and the high number of casualties has raised suspicions that the drone may have been altered for greater impact.
"It is possible that the drone's warhead may have been strengthened further, as this level of destruction is uncommon. According to Natalia Humeniuk, a spokesperson for the Southern Operational Command, there is a noticeable trend of the enemy enhancing the combat capabilities of their drones."
People visit the remnants of the building that was struck by a Russian drone in Odesa, leaving flowers and toys at the site of the attack that killed 12 people.
People visit the remnants of the building that was struck by a Russian drone in Odesa, leaving flowers and toys at the site of the attack that killed 12 people.
Oleksandr Gimanov/AFP/Getty Images
Entire family killed
Five children, including Tymofii, were among the 12 people killed, according to Odesa officials.
Three children, along with their parents Tetyana and Oleh Kravets, who were both in Ukraine's armed forces, tragically lost their lives. The family of five, including their 7-month-old daughter Lisa, was discovered on Saturday. The bodies of eight-year-old Zlata and nine-year-old Sergiy were recovered from the debris on Sunday.
The fifth child who lost his life in the attack was a 3-year-old boy named Mark, as reported by local media. Tragically, his father Vitaliy was also killed, while his mother Anastasia survived but sustained injuries and is currently receiving treatment in the intensive care unit.
Oleh Kravets, who was part of the Regional Directorate of the Territorial Defence Forces South, was praised by his unit for his exceptional courage, bravery, determination, and resilience. They described him as a dedicated serviceman who fulfilled his military duties with unwavering devotion to his country.
