Hroza, Ukraine attack: “Everyone lost someone”
By Saviano Abreu, OCHA Ukraine’s Spokesperson
When I arrived in Hroza today, less than 24 hours after the brutal air strike that ripped apart this small village in Ukraine’s Kharkiv Region, it reminded me of the day I visited Bucha.
In the first weeks of the war, Bucha showed the world the horrors caused by Russia’s invasion. Today, Hroza is proof that the devastation remains unabated, and that the war continues to inflict unimaginable levels of human suffering on the people of Ukraine.
Every single person I spoke to in Hroza is overcome by sorrow and grief. This is a small rural village, where about 300 people lived until yesterday. The attack killed more than 50 of those people, including entire families, as it flattened the small café and grocery shop where they were during mid-afternoon.
Nothing can justify this horrifying, barbaric act that is a possible grave violation of international humanitarian law.
Moral support
Tetiana could not contain her tears as she explained how terrifying it was to be in Hroza during the attack.
“It is too hard. I lost many relatives. Everyone here lost someone from their family,” she said. Tetiana feared for her children when the blast's impact shattered the windows of her home.
She has already received repair materials and other supplies from humanitarian workers, so at least her home will be safe and protected against the winter, which is already settling in.
Nataliia’s home was also damaged, as it’s just across the road from the blast site. She and her son Dima, who is only 15, received some materials from aid workers to cover their shattered windows.
But for Nataliia, the simple fact that a group of aid workers, including the Humanitarian Coordinator, Denise Brown, came to her village brings some comfort during such a horrific time for the community.
“The moral support is also important,” she said.
UN agencies and NGOs are now in Hroza, providing psychological and medical support to the survivors. They will ensure everyone receives the assistance and support they need to face this tragedy.