Ukraine: Mother and child eliminated in Russian strike on tower block visualized

A mum and three-month-old child eliminated when their tower block was damaged by a Russian rocket have actually been recognized.

At least 8 individuals were eliminated and 18 were hurt in the strike on Ukraine’s southern port city of Odesa yesterday.

Among the victims were Valeria Hlodan, 27, her baby daughter Kira, and Valeria’s mother Liudmila, originally from Russia.

In an address to the nation yesterday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told how one of the victims was only one month old when the war began.

He said: ‘Can you imagine what is happening?’

‘They are just bastards. I don’t have any other words for it, just bastards.’

Valeria’s husband Yuriy, who only survived as he had gone out to the shops, shared a photo of his late wife and daughter online.

One photograph shows how Valeria lovingly cradled her daughter as she bottle fed her, while in another the baby’s grandmother Liudmila holds her and smiles.

Valeria had been so excited for her to be born that she arranged a pregnancy photoshoot, captioning one of the images on Instagram: ‘Those were the best 40 weeks. Our girl is a month old now. Papa gave her her first flowers. It’s a new level of happiness.’

Ukraine’s parliament said in a statement: ‘A charming young mother and her three-month-old child… Their lives were taken by Russia today when a Russian rocket hit a residential building in Odesa… RIP, our angels.’

The strike yesterday came a day before Orthodox Christians in Ukraine were due to celebrate Easter.

Anton Gerashchenko, an advisor to the ministry of internal affairs, said: ‘Odesa will never forgive murder of its children.

‘An entire family perished – Liudmila Yavkina, her daughter Valeria and her three-month-old granddaughter Kira. Hatred is filling our hearts.

‘This was an ordinary yard of an ordinary apartment block in Odesa. It was a holiday, the Saturday before Easter, so there were children playing in the yard, there was laughter, there was life.

‘But the Russian b***ards don’ t have a [holy] ceasefire. They focus on where it injures the most– the serene cities, unarmed civilians, innocent kids.’

Boris Johnson branded Russia’s hostility towards Ukraine ‘nauseating’ today throughout a discussion with the UN secretary-general prior to he takes a trip to Moscow.

The prime minister had a telephone call with Antonio Guterres today, and ‘made clear the importance of global solidarity with Ukraine’ in the face of ‘blatant aggression’ by the Kremlin, No 10 stated.

The United Nations chief is because of go to Russia and after that go on to Kyiv, however President Zelensky criticised him for selecting to go to Russia initially.

Offering a readout of Mr Johnson’s talks with the secretary-general, a Downing Street spokesperson stated: ‘The Prime Minister described Putin’ s actions in Ukraine as nauseating and outright hostility, which is having ravaging effects for Ukraine’s individuals.

‘They discussed their shared issues on attacks in locations besieged by Russian forces, such as Mariupol and Kherson, and the requirement to protect a ceasefire, assist in humanitarian efforts and permit civilians to leave.

‘The Prime Minister made clear the importance of global solidarity with Ukraine, with the UK continuing to work closely with international partners to support Ukraine to defend itself.’

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