A 19-year-old Ukrainian teenager found in the rubble of a home destroyed by a Russian missile attack is now fighting for her life in hospital after losing an eye in the bombing.
Anna Kotova was pulled from the rubble by firefighters combing the destroyed building for survivors after the deadly attack on Saturday in the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
Kotova, who was celebrating her 19th birthday when the rocket hit her apartment building, suffered a series of horrific injuries and is being treated in intensive care at a Dnipro hospital, where doctors removed her eye.
A poignant photo shows Kotova lying in a hospital bed – her face now unrecognizable due to the cuts and burns covering her features.
The rest of her body, including her neck, chest and head, is covered in bandages as doctors try to limit any risk of infection.
Anna Kotova (pictured) was pulled from the rubble by firefighters combing the destroyed building for survivors after the deadly attack in the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Saturday
Disturbing photos show Kotova lying in a hospital bed – her face now unrecognizable due to cuts and burns covering her features
Rescuers from the Ukrainian State Rescue Service operate at the scene of a missile attack in Dnipro on January 15
Kovota, who several months ago posted photos and videos of herself laughing in a pale blue ball gown on Instagram, now faces months of recovery and will be transferred to another hospital in Poland for life-saving treatment.
It comes as rescuers said they had called off the search for the apartment building in which 44 people, including five children, were killed and 79 injured. According to rescue services, 20 people are still missing after the devastating rocket attack.
Kovota’s friend, Tatiana, said the 19-year-old suffered serious injuries in the explosion.
Tatiana wrote on Instagram: “My friend Anna Kotova miraculously survived. She celebrated her 19th birthday that day, but was badly injured in the Russian attack.
“While she saved her life, doctors could not save an eye and removed it. The other eye has to be fought after her baseline condition has stabilized, she also has multiple wounds and a head injury.
Kovota’s condition is described as “serious”, but she is reportedly being transferred to Poland for treatment and will be able to see with her other eye.
Kovota, who posted pictures of herself smiling in a pale blue ball gown on Instagram a few months ago, now faces months of recovery and will be transferred to another hospital in Poland for life-saving treatment
Kotova, who was celebrating her 19th birthday when the rocket hit her apartment building, suffered a series of horrific injuries and is being treated in intensive care at a Dnipro hospital, where doctors removed her eye.
Kovota moved to Dnipro after fleeing the Luhask region to escape Russian soldiers. Last year, she graduated from a school in the city of Severodonetsk in the Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine.
Her friends are now trying to raise money for her medical treatment.
The head of the Luhansk region, Serhiy Haidai, said: “A 19-year-old student from the Luhansk region is one of the victims of the Dnipro tragedy.
“Now Anna is in intensive care at the Dnipro hospital. Your condition is serious.
Now it’s up to the doctors. The girl will get all the help she needs.”
Haidai added that in the first two days after the Dnipro tragedy, more than 300 people came to donate blood for the victims.
It comes as rescuers said they had called off the search for the apartment building in which 44 people, including five children, were killed and 79 injured. Pictured: Rescuers carry the body of a man killed in Monday’s rocket attack in Dnipro
Rescue workers are searching for missing residents after Russian troops bombed an apartment building in Dnipro on January 15
Rescue workers cleared 9 tonnes of debris during an extensive search and rescue operation, which has now been called off.
About 400 people lost their homes after the attack, 72 homes were completely destroyed and another 236 were damaged beyond repair.
It comes after a heartbreaking video emerged showing a Ukrainian father celebrating a birthday with his daughters before he was killed in the Russian missile attack.
Photos show a large hole in the side of the apartment building, revealing the family’s yellow kitchen.
The same distinctive cuisine can be seen in footage of the birthday party where popular Ukrainian boxing trainer Mikhailo Korenovsky, 39, celebrated the birthday of one of his children with his close family.
A heartbreaking video shows a Ukrainian father celebrating a birthday with his daughters before he is killed in a brutal Russian missile attack. Photos showing the damage to their building have gone viral, with a large blast hole in the side of the block of flats revealing the family’s signature yellow kitchen (pictured).
The same distinctive cuisine can be seen in footage of a birthday party where popular Ukrainian boxing trainer Mikhailo Korenovsky (pictured with his daughters), 39, celebrated the birthday of one of his children with his close-knit family
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed to bring those responsible for the attack to justice, saying it was “a fundamental task” for Ukraine and its Western allies.
“This strike in Dnipro, as well as other similar strikes, falls expressly within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court,” he said in a video speech late Monday.
And we will use all available avenues – nationally and internationally – to ensure that all Russian murderers, anyone who orders and carries out rocket terror against our people, is punished by the law. And to make sure they serve their sentences,” he said.
Britain’s Ministry of Defense said on Tuesday that the weekend barrage of long-range missiles, the first of its kind in two weeks, targeted Ukraine’s power grid.
The ministry noted that the Kh-22 is “notoriously inaccurate when engaged against ground targets, as its radar guidance system is poor at distinguishing targets in urban areas,” suggesting that this may have been a factor in the Dnipro deaths .
Similar missiles have been used in other incidents that have claimed many civilian lives, including an attack on a mall in downtown Kremenchuk in June that officials say killed more than 20 people.
The deadliest attack on civilians before Saturday was an April 9 attack on a train station in the eastern city of Kramatorsk that killed at least 52 people, according to The Associated Press-Frontline War Crimes Watch project.
Such incidents have helped bolster international support for Ukraine in its fight against Kremlin encroachment. The winter has slowed fighting, but military analysts say another attack from both sides is likely once the weather improves.
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Elizabeth Cabrera is an author and journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, Elizabeth is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging articles that keep readers informed on the latest developments.
