An 89-year-old woman from Kyiv who survived World War II survived the Russian strike on Lukyanivka
In Kyiv, 89-year-old resident Alla Umanska is undergoing rehabilitation after miraculously surviving a rocket strike on Lukyanivka on June 24.
The pensioner was pulled from the rubble after the first strike, and shortly thereafter, a second strike hit the same area.
“Alla Mykolayivna was pulled from the rubble after the first strike; later, a second strike hit the same spot. Her apartment was on the first floor; she woke up after the explosion disoriented, thinking that someone had hit her in the face. She says her first thought was that her nose had ended up inside her face,” Liberov said.
The woman worked as a teacher of Ukrainian history and law, survived World War II, and wrote poems that were destroyed along with her apartment. After the evacuation, she managed to contact her daughter and asked her to lock up the apartment; however, according to the photographer, “there was nothing left to lock.”
Alla Umanska is currently in the hospital and preparing for rehabilitation. As a result of her injuries, her health has significantly deteriorated, particularly her hearing. Despite what she has been through, she maintains inner resilience and worries about others, particularly young people and her former students.
“Today, Alla Mykolayivna is in the hospital, preparing for rehabilitation. Her overall condition has deteriorated significantly due to the injuries she suffered, especially her hearing. But talking with her, I realized that even after this nightmare she went through, after losing her apartment, what hurts her most is the young people who are dying,” Liberov noted.
The photographer also added that the first thing the woman asked for in the hospital was hair clips so she could look presentable.
According to Liberov, despite her losses, the woman remains optimistic, although her experiences have left a deep emotional mark.
The shelling of the capital on the night of May 24 was one of the largest since the start of the full-scale invasion. Russia used about 90 missiles and 600 drones.
Extensive damage was recorded throughout Kyiv—at over 40 locations—as well as damage to cultural institutions, including museums, libraries, the philharmonic, and other infrastructure facilities.
Photographer Kostyantyn Liberov published photos of a woman and a destroyed apartment.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, along with ambassadors from 32 member countries of the Alliance, visited the site of the recent Russian strike on the Lukyanivskyi district of Kyiv. After the visit, he published a video message in which he commented on the consequences of the attack.
During the Russian shelling of Kyiv on May 24, the “Kvadrat” shopping center near the Lukyanivska metro station sustained serious damage. Among those who lost their businesses was the owner of a small jewelry shop.
During the nighttime shelling of Kyiv, a Russian missile was heading straight for the entrance of a residential building in Vynogradar, but it did not reach its target and detonated after striking a high-voltage power line pole. The explosion damaged apartments and cars, but there were no fatalities.
As a result of another massive Russian airstrike on Kyiv on the night of June 2, 11 educational institutions in three districts of the capital were damaged.
