Under fire: Ukrainian Olympian shelters with daughter during Kyiv attack
Iryna Herashchenko (photo: instagram.com/gerashchenkoi)
Ukrainian track and field athlete Iryna Herashchenko, who recently became a mother, reacted to the latest massive shelling of Kyiv on June 17, which claimed the lives of more than ten people and injured more than a hundred residents of the capital.
Iryna, a Ukrainian Olympic medalist, shared her emotions after a sleepless night, which she spent in a shelter with her newborn daughter.
According to her, during the air raid alert, she stayed in a parking garage, where almost nothing could be heard. However, that did not prevent her from fully experiencing the horror of what was happening in the city.
"Tonight, our night was in the parking garage. We could hardly hear anything. All that time, reading the news during the alert and seeing those terrible consequences—your hair stands on end," Iryna wrote on social media.
Iryna Herashchenko hid in a parking garage during the Russian attack (screenshot)
According to her, a phone conversation with her mother was particularly chilling, during which she could hear the sounds of Shaheds and missiles.
"Talking to my mother on the phone and hearing how a Shahed or missile is flying. How it gets shot down or falls, and waiting those seconds for her to speak to you again—that’s terrifying," shared the 2024 Olympic medalist.
In conclusion, Iryna addressed her followers with an important message.
"Friends, please take care of yourselves," she wrote.
Just recently, on June 11, the 2024 Olympic Games high jump bronze medalist became a mother for the first time. She and her husband, Serhii Spilniak, had a baby girl.
Iryna Herashchenko with her husband (photo: instagram.com/gerashchenkoi)
Horrific attack on Kyiv on June 17
The attack began late on June 16, when the sky over the city filled with Shaheds.
The main strike hit the area near the "Zhuliany" airport and the surrounding residential buildings.
One of the first to be hit was the National Aviation University dormitory. Fortunately, all the students survived, though some sustained injuries.
After 2:00 AM Kyiv time, the occupiers began launching missile strikes on the city. Explosions were heard in different districts of Kyiv, but the worst consequences were recorded in the Solomianskyi district.
There, one of the missiles completely destroyed an entire section of a residential high-rise; of the nine stories, only a pile of rubble remained, and the blast wave even reached the basement.
According to official information from the National Police, at least 15 people are confirmed dead at this time.
Around a hundred people were injured, and some of them were hospitalized. Meanwhile, rescue workers continue search operations—there may still be people under the rubble, meaning the number of victims could rise.
Fire and debris affected at least 27 locations in the capital. Defense forces held the line until morning, repelling the massive wave of drones and missiles.
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