Bournemouth charity team survive missile attack in Ukraine

A Russian missile strike on the city of Kryvyi Rih in Ukraine last week killed at least four people and destroyed vehicles full of aid that had been brought over by a Bournemouth charity, Ukraine Relief.

Ukraine Relief’s founder and Chief Executive Karol Swiacki, who received a medal from the mayor of Bournemouth in February, and his team of aid workers were in Ukraine to deliver aid including sports equipment from Intersport Ukraine and Epicentre, along with 10 special generators to support schools, shelters, orphanages, and refugees in need of electricity.

Swiacki and the aid workers had checked into a hotel when they received a missile alert. As they started gathering their things to evacuate, an explosion shook the building.

He said: “The air filled with dust, screams, and fear. We struggled to breathe. The corridors collapsed, leaving us trapped in darkness. Together with the hotel staff, we searched for a way out.

“Stepping outside was devastating. Car alarms blared. Our fully loaded vans were destroyed. Debris was everywhere. People were crying. Some had lost their lives. Others were wounded.

“Despite the destruction, we focused on helping others while retrieving our documents and belongings. Strangers heard us speaking English and helped us and Igor navigate the aftermath.”