“We hid in a pit – that saved us.” The story of a family from Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, whose house was shelled three times by Russian troops

The Mishchenko family from Nikopol endured the devastating impact of Russian missile attacks, with their house bearing the brunt of these strikes on three separate occasions. During the final attack, Raisa and Wiktor suffered severe shrapnel injuries, resulting in the destruction of their home, car, and all their belongings. Presently, the family is staying with relatives and striving to raise funds for the reconstruction of their house.

Raisa Mishchenko, a Nikopol resident, recounted the harrowing experiences her family faced as their house came under fire from Russian forces.

“Our ordeal began last year, on September 15, with the first strike. We managed to patch things up as best as we could, making the house barely habitable. Then, on September 1 this year, the second attack occurred. Thankfully, we weren't at home then, except for my grandmother who miraculously survived without injuries. I remember calling her, anxious and worried when she answered, describing the terrifying noises around her”, shared Raisa.

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She continued, “The third and final strike was the most catastrophic. Our house, which had held on precariously after the first two attacks, finally gave way, collapsing completely. We owe our safety during that time to the brave media personnel who shielded us from above.”

Raisa explained that they had initiated the renovation of their ravaged home when disaster struck again with the third attack.

“We had begun to salvage what was left, with kind-hearted people coming to assist us in preserving our belongings. Then, on September 7, as we were returning at 9 am to feed our animals, gunfire erupted. Realizing we had no safe place to take cover, we sought refuge in a concrete water pit, covering ourselves with a manhole”, she recounted.

Tragically, both Raisa and her husband sustained injuries during this intense shelling.

“We endured two close explosions, and then a third strike hit us directly, leaving us wounded. I briefly lost consciousness, feeling the impact on the back of my head, only to find my husband bleeding from his head. We improvised with a T-shirt to staunch the bleeding, but by then, our house was engulfed in flames”, Raisa shared.

The couple revealed that her husband bore the brunt of the injuries and is currently awaiting surgical implants.

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"The injuries are extensive; my husband has sustained injuries to his leg, knee, head, and thigh. His hand is severely affected, virtually non-functional. There are no bones left; only fingers remain, resembling knitting needles", she added.

Raisa and Viktor emphasized that nearly all their possessions, their home, and equipment were obliterated during these missile attacks, and they have no plans to salvage their damaged car.

“There is no hope of rebuilding; it must be razed to the ground and reconstructed from scratch. The devastation is absolute, leaving nothing salvageable. We are essentially left with the ruins of our former life”, Viktor Mishchenko, a Nikopol resident, lamented.