IN PICTURES: Grief and Resilience After Deadly Missile Strike in Kyiv
Marco V. Pereira | Aug. 1, 2025, 4:10 pm
As air raid sirens wailed across the Ukrainian capital overnight on July 30-31, residents braced for yet another Russian drone and missile assault. One missile struck an apartment building in the Svyatoshynskyi district, killing multiple civilians and leaving many others injured or homeless.
By morning, the damage was clear. Pieces of broken glass and window frames were piled in trash bins. Many cars were also damaged by the explosion.
Yet just steps away, children played in a nearby playground as families tried to return to normal life.
A crowd gathered at the site. People of all ages stood quietly, watching rescue workers. Some brought water, coffee, and snacks.
The Red Cross handed out food. News crews arrived to report live from the scene. Neighbors supported each other as they waited for news about missing loved ones.
Some people were clearly in deep pain. A few had to go past the police line to help identify the dead – showing photos of loved ones or looking at police images of the victims. One older woman stood crying with her family.
A younger girl in a brown hoodie, overwhelmed with grief, screamed, threw chairs, and tried to run. A psychologist stayed with her the whole time, holding her hand and helping her calm down.
The attack serves as a reminder that Moscow's invasion aren’t just numbers, with real people – parents, children, families – behind every statistic.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022, similar attacks have happened thousands of times across Ukraine.
Emergency workers responded quickly. Firefighters, police, and National Guard cleared rubble, comforted families, and worked to identify the victims.
Many of them have faced this kind of tragedy before – but that doesn’t make it any easier. They stayed calm and kind, offering help to anyone in shock or distress.
One psychologist stayed by the young girl’s side for over an hour. She comforted her, spoke gently, and kept her from falling apart.
As each attack ends, the lucky ones who emerge unscathed march on – only to face the harsh realities that still lie ahead.
