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Silence and hope in the midst of darkness and pain. The aftermath of a missile strike in Dnipro in the photos of Yevhen Zavhorodnyi

15.1.2024
2
min read

On January 14, 2023, the Russian army hit the Dnieper with missiles. The rocket hit an apartment building at 3:30 p.m., when many people were at home. As a result of the attack, two entrances of the multi-storey building were destroyed — 72 apartments were destroyed, more than 230 were damaged. 46 people were killed, including six children. 11 people are still missing. Three days of mourning were introduced in Dnipro.

Today, the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers publishes photos of Evgeny Zavgorodny, taken at the scene of the tragedy in Dnipro.

Saving lives

On January 14, 2023, during another massive strike by the Russian army on Ukraine, a Russian missile hit a residential building in Dnipro. Two entrances of a nine-story building that housed a total of more than 1,100 people collapsed.

According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the Russian military launched an X-22 cruise missile. Such missiles are extremely inaccurate, but quite massive and can lead to numerous human casualties. Rescuers worked without interruption for several days. On January 14 at 13:00 the search and rescue operation was completed.

The rescue operation lasted 69 hours. Thirty-nine people were rescued, including six children. Nine deaths were initially reported, but over time this figure rose to 46. The missile strike killed 40 adults and six children. The youngest child was eleven months old.

Emergency rescue workers worked at the scene of the tragedy for several days. According to official data, 46 people were killed, including six children, and 75 were injured (including 13 children) as a result of a rocket strike on a house in Dnipro. January 14, 2023. Photo by Yevhenii Zavgorodnyi

On January 14, 2022, Yevgeny Zavgorodny photographed a complicated operation of a child in one of the Kiev hospitals. The photographer recalls that the doors of the operating room had a special vacuum system and they closed with a loud sound similar to a deaf bang. When the air alarm began, these sounds were very confusing.

“I filmed how a Ukrainian doctor saves the life of a two-year-old child in Kyiv. During the alarm, he expected every second that a loud bang was about to sound. Fortunately, there were no explosions and the operation ended well,” says Yevhenii Zavgorodny.

He adds that after shooting the life saving, he went to photograph how Russia takes lives.

Rescuers pull people out from under the rubble. January 15, 2023. Photo by Yevhenii Zavgorodnyi

Every life is important

Immediately after the completion of the operation, Yevgeny went home, left his things and went to Dnipro.

“On the way to the scene in Dnipro, it seemed that the city continues to live in its usual rhythm. The scene of the tragedy opened suddenly,” Zavgorodny says.

Most of all, he remembered the moment when the rescuers declared complete silence. This is done in order to hear and find people under the rubble.

“For five minutes there was absolute silence. Rescuers turned off all generators, cars, immediately it became very quiet and dark. This is a very strong moment,” says the photographer.

There was absolute silence for five minutes. January 14, 2023. Photo by Yevhenii Zavgorodnyi

The rescue operation lasted 69 hours. Already on January 19, 2023, 46 people were announced dead. January 15, 2023. Photo by Yevhenii Zavgorodnyi

Yevhenii Zavgorodny says that people were very cohesive — they helped each other, brought clothes, prepared food.

“What happened near the destroyed house in Dnipro reminded the atmosphere of the times of the Maidan. It was constantly heard: “Whose broth, hot broth. Tea, coffee. Guys, take the sandwiches.” People were as cohesive and friendly as possible. I don't know what an idiot you have to be to go to war on our people,” says Yevhenii Zavgorodny.
Rescuers with search dogs at the site of the terrorist attack in Dnipro. 14-15 January 2023. Photo by Yevhenii Zavgorodnyi

Rescued cat and its owner. January 15, 2023. Photo by Yevhenii Zavgorodnyi

He recalls an episode with a cat that got stuck on a cornice between floors and rescuers tried to remove it. The frightened animal could not move and then dashed down.

“The cat fell, but remained intact. He ran into the entrance, where he was caught by a rescuer and handed over to the owner, - says Evgeny. “Every life is important.”

Yevhenii Zavgorodniy has been shooting for about 20 years for both Ukrainian media and foreign agencies. He began by documenting the events of the Orange Revolution in 2004. His photos were published by “The Wall Street Journal”, “The New York Times”, “The Guardian”, “Deutsche Welle” and others. Before the full-scale invasion, he was filming the work of the Ukrainian parliament for a couple of years. Since the beginning of the invasion, it documents the consequences of Russian aggression. Yevhen's works were exhibited at collective exhibitions in Ukraine and the EU.

Photographer's social networks:Facebook, Instagram

The material was worked on:
Researcher of the topic, author of the text: Kateryna Moskalyuk
Bild-editor: Vyacheslav Ratynskyi
Literary Editor: Julia Futei
Site Manager: Vladislav Kuhar

Read also: Molten metal and birds in the sky. Consequences of the strike on Kremenchuk in the photos of Evgeny Zavgorodny

The material was created with the support of The Foundation for Polish-German Cooperation.

On January 14, 2023, the Russian army hit the Dnieper with missiles. The rocket hit an apartment building at 3:30 p.m., when many people were at home. As a result of the attack, two entrances of the multi-storey building were destroyed — 72 apartments were destroyed, more than 230 were damaged. 46 people were killed, including six children. 11 people are still missing. Three days of mourning were introduced in Dnipro.

Today, the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers publishes photos of Evgeny Zavgorodny, taken at the scene of the tragedy in Dnipro.

Saving lives

On January 14, 2023, during another massive strike by the Russian army on Ukraine, a Russian missile hit a residential building in Dnipro. Two entrances of a nine-story building that housed a total of more than 1,100 people collapsed.

According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the Russian military launched an X-22 cruise missile. Such missiles are extremely inaccurate, but quite massive and can lead to numerous human casualties. Rescuers worked without interruption for several days. On January 14 at 13:00 the search and rescue operation was completed.

The rescue operation lasted 69 hours. Thirty-nine people were rescued, including six children. Nine deaths were initially reported, but over time this figure rose to 46. The missile strike killed 40 adults and six children. The youngest child was eleven months old.

Emergency rescue workers worked at the scene of the tragedy for several days. According to official data, 46 people were killed, including six children, and 75 were injured (including 13 children) as a result of a rocket strike on a house in Dnipro. January 14, 2023. Photo by Yevhenii Zavgorodnyi

On January 14, 2022, Yevgeny Zavgorodny photographed a complicated operation of a child in one of the Kiev hospitals. The photographer recalls that the doors of the operating room had a special vacuum system and they closed with a loud sound similar to a deaf bang. When the air alarm began, these sounds were very confusing.

“I filmed how a Ukrainian doctor saves the life of a two-year-old child in Kyiv. During the alarm, he expected every second that a loud bang was about to sound. Fortunately, there were no explosions and the operation ended well,” says Yevhenii Zavgorodny.

He adds that after shooting the life saving, he went to photograph how Russia takes lives.

Rescuers pull people out from under the rubble. January 15, 2023. Photo by Yevhenii Zavgorodnyi

Every life is important

Immediately after the completion of the operation, Yevgeny went home, left his things and went to Dnipro.

“On the way to the scene in Dnipro, it seemed that the city continues to live in its usual rhythm. The scene of the tragedy opened suddenly,” Zavgorodny says.

Most of all, he remembered the moment when the rescuers declared complete silence. This is done in order to hear and find people under the rubble.

“For five minutes there was absolute silence. Rescuers turned off all generators, cars, immediately it became very quiet and dark. This is a very strong moment,” says the photographer.

There was absolute silence for five minutes. January 14, 2023. Photo by Yevhenii Zavgorodnyi

The rescue operation lasted 69 hours. Already on January 19, 2023, 46 people were announced dead. January 15, 2023. Photo by Yevhenii Zavgorodnyi

Yevhenii Zavgorodny says that people were very cohesive — they helped each other, brought clothes, prepared food.

“What happened near the destroyed house in Dnipro reminded the atmosphere of the times of the Maidan. It was constantly heard: “Whose broth, hot broth. Tea, coffee. Guys, take the sandwiches.” People were as cohesive and friendly as possible. I don't know what an idiot you have to be to go to war on our people,” says Yevhenii Zavgorodny.
Rescuers with search dogs at the site of the terrorist attack in Dnipro. 14-15 January 2023. Photo by Yevhenii Zavgorodnyi

Rescued cat and its owner. January 15, 2023. Photo by Yevhenii Zavgorodnyi

He recalls an episode with a cat that got stuck on a cornice between floors and rescuers tried to remove it. The frightened animal could not move and then dashed down.

“The cat fell, but remained intact. He ran into the entrance, where he was caught by a rescuer and handed over to the owner, - says Evgeny. “Every life is important.”

Yevhenii Zavgorodniy has been shooting for about 20 years for both Ukrainian media and foreign agencies. He began by documenting the events of the Orange Revolution in 2004. His photos were published by “The Wall Street Journal”, “The New York Times”, “The Guardian”, “Deutsche Welle” and others. Before the full-scale invasion, he was filming the work of the Ukrainian parliament for a couple of years. Since the beginning of the invasion, it documents the consequences of Russian aggression. Yevhen's works were exhibited at collective exhibitions in Ukraine and the EU.

Photographer's social networks:Facebook, Instagram

The material was worked on:
Researcher of the topic, author of the text: Kateryna Moskalyuk
Bild-editor: Vyacheslav Ratynskyi
Literary Editor: Julia Futei
Site Manager: Vladislav Kuhar

Read also: Molten metal and birds in the sky. Consequences of the strike on Kremenchuk in the photos of Evgeny Zavgorodny

The material was created with the support of The Foundation for Polish-German Cooperation.

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