Photo: Suspilne Poltava
Search operations in Poltava will continue at least until the evening, reported Hromadske Radio correspondent Iryna Sampan.
She shared this information during a live broadcast on Hromadske Radio.
According to Sampan, although life in Poltava continues as usual, «the situation is tense» at the site of the strike near the Military Communications Institute.
«There are many emergency services, police, and dog trainers working here. People may still be trapped under the rubble. Even last night, rescuers reported that they couldn’t hear any sounds from people, meaning they might either be unconscious or deceased. But all services continue to work. Many teams have been brought in, including the Pavlograd search and rescue canine unit Antares and teams from Kyiv», — she said.
The journalist added that two tents have been set up at the site, where volunteers and psychologists from the State Emergency Service are providing support.
«Psychologists are mainly assisting civilians who have been affected, especially those whose children are under stress or whose homes have been damaged. Volunteers, also from Poltava, organized themselves immediately. They started collecting and buying water, food, energy drinks, and cigarettes — everything needed for the rescuers. This way, during moments of rest, they can take a break and eat», — she emphasized.
Sampan noted that «working from an information standpoint is challenging because access to the site is limited.»
«We are not allowed to enter the institute’s territory. So, I can’t film how the rescuers are working. We can only stand behind the fence, wait for updates, and ask for comments. However, they can’t comment on everything, so we are trying to piece together a general picture from the information we have», — she explained.
It’s also known that the damage extends beyond the educational institution, with destruction in the surrounding area as well.
«Yes, there is a high-rise building nearby. The windows were rattling here. In the closest row of houses to the impact site, windows were broken, and facades were slightly damaged, but mostly people were just scared. They’re not used to this. So, they went out at three o’clock in the morning to talk with the rescuers and each other», — the correspondent added.
The street itself was also affected by the strike:
«The blast wave was so powerful that it caused damage to houses 50-100 meters away.»
Sampan confirmed that communications were not disrupted by the strikes:
«There was electricity in the nearby houses and high-rise buildings. There was a connection, normal internet, and even the street lamps along this street didn’t go out; there was light.»
As a reminder, on September 3, Poltava was hit by a ballistic missile. The Russians fired two ballistic missiles at the Military Communications Institute. According to Svitlana Rybalko, spokesperson for the Poltava region’s rescuers, the death toll has risen to 52, with 22 people recovered from the rubble. Additionally, 271 people were injured. She reported this on Suspilne on September 4.
According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, the strike in Poltava hit an educational institution and a nearby hospital. One of the buildings of the Institute of Communications was partially destroyed, trapping people under the rubble. Many were rescued.
«I ordered a full and prompt investigation into all the circumstances of what happened. All necessary services are involved in the rescue operation», — he added.
Poltava was hit by a ballistic missile in the morning. The Russians attacked the city with ballistic missiles at 09:10, just two minutes after the air alert was announced.
«The time between the alarm and the arrival of the deadly missiles was so short that it caught people in the midst of evacuating to the bomb shelter», — the Ministry of Defense emphasized.
Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko reported that rescuers have contained the fire and are continuing to clear the debris.
Klymenko noted that a residential area is located near the impact site. In nearby high-rise buildings, the shock wave shattered windows and damaged facades. The police are conducting a door-to-door search to check for any additional victims. Over a hundred claims of damaged property have already been recorded.
Starting September 4, Poltava and the region entered a three-day mourning period for those killed by the Russian ballistic missile, as announced by the head of Poltava regional military administration, Philip Pronin.
Earlier, Oleksiy Boychuk, a journalist for the My-Poltava online publication, discussed the consequences of the occupiers’ attack on the city during a live broadcast on Hromadske Radio.
«Currently, there are still people under the rubble. Their number is unknown.»
The journalist noted that the condition of the wounded varies. Many people at the scene were covered in blood, and some were lying on the ground. According to available data, the city’s hospitals are filled with victims of Russian terror. However, there is no exact information about the number of hospitalized patients or their condition.
The strike occurred on the grounds of the educational institution and the nearby hospital. One of the buildings of the Institute of Communications was partially destroyed. Additionally, houses around the impact site were damaged.
Oleksandr Khorunzhiy, the spokesman for the State Emergency Service, also reported that 25 people were rescued, 11 of whom were pulled out directly from under the rubble. It is presumed that more people may still be trapped under the debris. Search and rescue operations are ongoing.
Currently, 220 rescuers and over 50 pieces of equipment are working at the impact site. Heavy machinery and canine units are also involved. The National Police are conducting inspections of the area to document the consequences of the occupiers’ attack.