Latest news with #KarolSwiacki
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
UK volunteer after surviving Russian strike on Kryvyi Rih — 'Trump, Vance, come see Ukraine for yourselves'
A team of foreign volunteers had just finished dinner at a cozy hotel restaurant in Kryvyi Rih — a city in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast where they had recently arrived to bring locals humanitarian aid — when a notification on their phones suddenly made the atmosphere tense. A Russian ballistic missile was heading toward the city. "We decided to go to the shelter, but we did not have enough time," British volunteer Karol Swiacki told the Kyiv Independent. "We stood up and made a few steps, but then there was a big hit, loud noise, and a huge explosion. And then dust all over. There was so much dust that we couldn't breathe or see anything." The powerful blast from the strike, which occurred around 10 p.m. on March 5, heavily damaged the five-story hotel. As a result of the attack, five people were killed and 32 were injured, including two children aged 13 and 17, Governor Serhii Lysak reported. Apart from the hotel, the missile strike also damaged 14 apartment buildings, a post office, almost two dozen cars, a cultural center, and 12 shops, the governor said. "We saw the damage that (the missile) had done, not only to the hotel, it was all on fire," Swiacki recalls. "People were screaming. There were people with blood on their faces, dead people." "People died in front of our eyes. It was a nightmare. We were in hell." Sitting roughly 70 kilometers (40 miles) northwest of the nearest front line, Kryvyi Rih remains a frequent target of Russian missile attacks. With a population of about 660,000, it is the second-largest city in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and the hometown of President Volodymyr Zelensky. "(After the explosion) we tried to get out of the hotel and went through the broken windows." "Just before the strike, volunteers from a humanitarian organization checked into the hotel — citizens of Ukraine, the U.S., and the U.K.," Zelensky said after the attack. "They survived because they managed to escape their rooms." Swiacki, who heads the U.K.-based NGO Ukraine Relief, says that all of the eight people he was with were fortunate enough to escape injury in the deadly attack. "(After the explosion) we tried to get out of the hotel and went through the broken windows. It was so dangerous, we didn't know if it would collapse," Swiacki recalls. "But when we saw it from outside, oh my God… We realized the reason for that big explosion: a missile." Swiacki says that if they had been in their rooms when the missile struck the hotel, they likely would have been killed. "Everything was smashed. It was just an absolute disaster," he says. Originally from Poland, Swiacki dropped his career in entertainment shortly after the full-scale invasion started, launching the non-profit: "I remember my grandma's stories of what Russians were doing to our people in Poland, so I understand what it means." "I am fully aware of what this war is about. This has nothing to do with peace. They want to destroy Ukraine, take it over, and break the nation completely. This is an absolute disgrace," Swiacki says. Since Feb. 24, 2022, Swiacki and his team have delivered over five tons of humanitarian aid across Ukraine, as well as power generators, wheelchairs for people with disabilities, medical beds, and other essential supplies. During their latest trip to Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, they brought sports equipment and other items to support Ukrainian children affected by the war. Swiacki says the attack on Kryvyi Rih destroyed three of their cars parked outside the hotel. His team was able to recover the equipment from the "smashed van" and plan to deliver it to the children soon. "We're continuing to support Ukraine. Many people would say we should stop, but no, it works the other way around. We will never stop and are stronger than ever," he says. The attack on Kryvyi Rih took place amid the Trump administration's decision to freeze military aid and limit intelligence sharing to Ukraine — affecting warnings about Russian drones and missiles targeting Ukrainian military and civilian sites. Swiacki says he wishes U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance would come and see the war for themselves. "Please come to Ukraine and see it yourself," he says. "People are dying here." Overnight on March 7, just two days after the Kryvyi Rih attack, Russia launched at least 67 missiles of various types and 194 attack and decoy drones against Ukraine, targeting energy and gas infrastructure across the country. "We need air defense all over Ukraine to stop these killings. No one can defend against these rockets without air defense," Swiacki says. "I hope the West will finally wake up," he adds. Hi! Daria Shulzhenko here. I wrote this piece for you. Since the first day of Russia's all-out war, I have been working almost non-stop to tell the stories of those affected by Russia's brutal aggression. By telling all those painful stories, we are helping to keep the world informed about the reality of Russia's war against Ukraine. By becoming a member of the Kyiv Independent, you can help us continue telling the world the truth about this war. Read also: British volunteer who lost arm and leg evacuating Ukrainian civilians: 'Russia is the enemy. How can you not see it?' We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The Independent
06-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Aid worker says ‘not the time for crying' after surviving Russian missile attack
An aid worker from Britain has said 'this is not the moment for crying' after surviving a Russian missile strike in central Ukraine, which left four people dead. Karol Swiacki, founder of charity Ukraine Relief, from Bournemouth Dorset, shared his disbelief after an air strike in Kryvyi Rih hit the Central Hotel on Wednesday night – his accommodation for the duration of his stay. The aid worker and his team said they felt lucky they were able to flee their rooms at the hotel before the strike happened. 'I don't how we survived this. It was an incredible and shocking moment for all of us,' Mr Swiacki told the PA news agency. 'If we were in our rooms, we would be dead. It is a huge disaster.' Four people died in the strike, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said. Mr Swiacki and his team travelled to Ukraine to distribute generators and supplies to a local school and orphanage, and he said he felt 'broken' after the aid was destroyed by the attack. The charity founder said he and his team visited the school on Thursday morning to continue aid efforts in Ukraine. 'We went to the school today, we didn't give up,' he said. 'We are not crying. This is not the moment for crying. 'This is the moment for getting things done. If they (the Russians) want to frighten us, put the fear into our minds that we shouldn't be here… but I'm not going to be doing that. 'We need to help Ukraine.' He praised the people of Ukraine for their bravery and said his experience highlights the daily plight of Ukrainians. 'What brave people and what a country – they are fighting for survival. Day by day these rockets are falling here and killing and injuring people,' he said. Mr Swiacki hopes that sharing his experience in Kryvyi Rih will remind the public about the ongoing conflict. 'We need to send the message of truth. People need to see what is really happening,' he said. 'We are an example of those who've been under attack and we survived it. 'We need to be ambassadors of this situation and use this to give people an example of what is happening. This is what (the people of) Ukraine are surviving.' Mr Zelensky said on X that rescue operations in Kryvyi Rih continue. He said: 'All night, a rescue operation continued in Kryvyi Rih at the site of a Russian missile strike. A ballistic missile struck an ordinary hotel. 'Just before the attack, volunteers from a humanitarian organisation – citizens of Ukraine, the United States, and the United Kingdom – had checked into the hotel. 'They survived because they managed to get down from their rooms in time. Unfortunately, four people were killed in this attack. My condolences to their families and loved ones.' He went on: 'Rescue workers are still on-site, and all emergency services continue to operate.' Kryvyi Rih is Mr Zelenskyy's home town and has been attacked frequently from Russia, including a missile attack in January that killed four.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Yahoo
Ukraine aid workers 'face growing drones threat'
Volunteer workers in Ukraine have said they face a growing threat from Russian drones. Edward, who lost his leg and arm in an explosion on 30 January, said his marked vehicle was attacked in what amounted to a war crime. The Dorset aid worker, who had been helping evacuees from the front line town of Pokrovsk, said Russian forces were using a new type of drone that could not be picked up by detecting equipment. Karol Swiacki, from Bournemouth charity Ukraine Relief, said his volunteers had recently stopped driving marked vehicles for fear of being targeted. Aid workers say about 7,000 people remain in Pokrovsk, despite constant attacks from Russian forces less than 2km (1.2 miles) away. Edward, whose surname is not being used by the BBC, said he was driving through the town in a vehicle marked with the words "evacuation" and "volunteer". He said: "I heard a drone and then 30 seconds later there was this mighty bang, [an] explosion right in front of my face. "I could see my arm on the wheel not moving. My leg was just absolutely shredded." Edward said his team had previously been attacked by a Russian drone in December, although no-one was seriously hurt. He said: "Pokrovsk is littered with drones. Every time we go in, we see them. "We have several detectors... and neither of those went off before the strike, which leads us to think that it could have been a fibre-optic, which is a new drone, a much, much more dangerous type of drone they've been using recently. "It's undetectable and pretty much impossible to counter." Mr Swiacki said the war in Ukraine had "changed completely" in recent months. He said: "There are thousands of drones and when you are driving. "We are driving the van without marks because Russians are striking into every vehicle especially those which are marked as the humanitarian aid. "In the last few months, it was never as scary as in the last few minutes when you drive too close to the cities. "You have to look in the sky and you are afraid." You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X, or Instagram. British medic loses arm and leg in strike in Ukraine 'It's like hell': Race to evacuate residents from Ukraine front-line city Ukraine Relief
