“My second birthday”: woman from Lviv shares story of being rescued after missile attack

After the Russian missile attack on 6 July, a residential building was destroyed in Lviv. As of 10 July, 10 people were killed and 42 injured. Vira Soturchak and her family are one of the residents of the apartment building that was hit by the Russians.

She shared her rescue story and memories of the night she lost her home. Quote: "So! Today is my birthday!

And yesterday was the second one, because the photo is of my house. My children and I were at home, in bed, at the time of the missile attack. Only the eldest daughter, Yanochka, miraculously stayed to spend the night at dad's," writes the woman after surviving the missile attack.

Vira remembers waking up to an air-raid warning.

Quote: "Usually, I just roll over and say as a mantra: 'F***ing r**sians', but then for some reason it worked, I carefully read the news, kept track of what was fired and where. I must have felt something," the Lviv resident recalls. According to her, it was very loud nearby after the first hit.

The woman grabbed her youngest, five-year-old Davyd, wrapped him in a blanket and carried him to the bathroom.

Vira, a survivor from LvivPhoto: Vira Soturchak

Quote: "Davik only had time to say: 'Mummy, close the door!' As soon as I did, an explosion rang out and all I had left in my hands was the door handle. Dust, a bent entrance door covered with bricks...", Vira noted.

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The 13-year-old twin sons ran out into the corridor on their own. At that moment, the woman quickly took her youngest child and documents.

A missile fragment in the hands of 13-year-old KostiaPhoto: Vira Soturchak

Vira started shouting from the window: "Help me get out! The door collapsed!

There are three children here!" Neighbours came running and unblocked the door. The woman and her children ran out into the yard of the building.

The screams of the neighbours still trapped under the rubble could be heard there. A neighbouring house was also on fire.

Vira's house after the missile attackPhoto: Vira Soturchak

According to Vira, there was no all-clear yet, so they decided to run to a nearby park. Then they saw the next hit. Quote: "At that moment, I just sat down, although I understood that I could die.

But my son Kostia was very smart! At that moment he fell to the ground, covered his ears and head with hands and opened his mouth. I'm proud of him.

At 13 years old, to have such endurance! My brave little warrior," Vira noted.

Twin sons of ViraPhoto: Vira Soturchak

As she told Ukrainska Pravda.Zhyttia, her son often watched videos about attacks on TikTok, so he quickly remembered what to do. Fortunately, the family was not injured and successfully ran to the park.

After the all-clear was given, the children were taken to their father's apartment, which is nearby. Vira, on the other hand, went to look for the documents and the cat. Quote: "I guess I'm a unique girl.

Despite the fact that I took the perfume, I completely forgot about my money stash. In fact, at that moment I was only thinking about how to find our cat," the survivor recalls.

Vira with her youngest son DavydPhoto: Vira Soturchak

The pet was searched for two days, and found alive and well. Since its body was nowhere to be found, Vira continued her search, understanding that it was not dead, just scared and hiding somewhere.

There were also two parrots in the apartment. The birdcage stood by the window on a table, which was just behind the wall. Quote: "The shock wave miraculously went straight, and that saved their lives.

I thought they were dead. But the next day the rescue workers returned them safe and sound. Everyone around looked at them very fondly," the woman from Lviv shares.

Found parrotsPhoto: Vira Soturchak

The woman knows that she is insanely lucky.

Because the only injury she received was a small scratch on her leg. The children were unharmed.

A scratch on Vira's legPhoto: Vira Soturchak

Quote: "Today is my birthday! I am sitting under my broken house, waiting for permission to take the things that survived.

For the time being, my children and I have a place to live. I don't know what's next...", Vera said. In a comment to Ukrainska Pravda.Zhyttia, the woman noted that at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, she left with her four children for Portugal.

They lived there for a year and a half. Vira learned the language and found a job. Due to homesickness, they decided to return to their own apartment, which they purchased approximately six years ago.

Background: Earlier, we reported on how the residents of the targeted building in Lviv shared their memories of the nighttime Russian attack.

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