**Tragedy Strikes Kyiv: Families Shattered by Missile Attack**

Survivors recount the harrowing experience following a missile attack that devastated their homes, highlighting resilience amidst tragedy.

In a tragic incident on April 27, a Russian missile struck a two-story apartment building in Kyiv, Ukraine, claiming the lives of 13 residents and injuring nearly 90 others. The missile attack, attributed to a weapon manufactured by North Korea, marked the deadliest assault in the capital since last summer. For families who have long called this structure home, the effects have been catastrophic.

Oleksandr Polishchuk, a survivor who has faced immense personal loss throughout the ongoing war, found himself in an unimaginable situation when the sirens began to wail. Having grappled with the pain of losing his first wife to the pandemic and roaming through the dark memories of captivity as a prisoner of war, he swiftly reacted to the alerts on that fateful morning. Clutching his two-year-old daughter, Oleksandra, he never reached the safety of the basement in time. Instead, the strike reduced his family’s balcony to rubble, merely days after a birthday celebration for his wife, Anna, was held there.

The impact of the missile not only tore apart the building but also shattered a community woven together over decades. Many residents, living there since the Soviet era, considered one another family, having shared countless memories and traditions over the years. The once-close-knit environment has now been transformed into a scene of despair, as friends and families mourn their lost loved ones and attempt to rebuild their lives amidst the emotional and physical destruction.

As Ukraine's conflict persists, stories like Oleksandr’s serve as poignant reminders of the human cost of war, with communities facing continuous hardships. The lives affected by this tragic missile strike underscore the urgency for dialogue, peace, and a resolution to the enduring conflict.