A Barrie man and his girlfriend are haunted by the sights and sounds during and following a missile attack in Lviv, Ukraine last night, where they were staying as they visited family.
At least five people have been killed after a Russian rocket hit an apartment building in Lviv, western Ukraine overnight.
An additional 34 people were injured in the missile strike on the large historical building that managed to survive intact through the Second World War but succumbed to the latest Russian aerial assault in this war.
The mayor of Lviv called it "one of the biggest attacks" on the city's civilian infrastructure, and more than 30 homes had been destroyed as a result.
Barrie native, Ryan Rowell, was an unlikely witness to the terror that Russia has unleashed upon the country, as he was in the city of Lviv, in Ukraine, at the time of the attack.
“We arrived in Ukraine on June 24, with the intent to visit Iryna’s (his girlfriend) family and bring her kids home (to Ukraine) to visit their father for the summer,” Rowell tells BarrieToday while in a car waiting to cross into Poland this morning, as they try to return home to Barrie.
“This was a chance for her family to meet me as well. Most of the attacks and worry in Lviv has been incredibly mild and small,” he said.
They had spent the day packing and gathering items to take back to Barrie, including things requested by Ukrainians living in Barrie.
The night before the attack was peaceful and quiet, according to Rowell.
“Last night we had a nice walk with her mother and talked of some of the changes, the fact that generators are everywhere, and excess lighting has been removed in the city that made it much more beautiful before. The talk was light and about future and worry of the kids, but nothing about the war coming to Lviv. We fell asleep later than we wanted as we still needed to pack for home," he said.
The peace and quiet was short-lived that night, however, as the city came under attack from above. Russian Kalibr missiles were reportedly launched from a ship far away on the Black Sea.
“The sound that woke me, and created worry for us, was the missile being destroyed overhead. It was a very loud explosion, and it could be felt in my chest, both from my heart pounding but also the concussive sound,” recounted Rowell. “The phones confirmed something had happened and the military air strike system was active. I gathered some water, clothes, a charger, documents and flashlight just in case we needed to move quickly.”
As the missile attack continued, they moved to a safer spot in their building to shield themselves.
“Iryna took a call from her mother, they were talking in the hallway of the 4th-floor apartment. It was one of the safest places for us, and where we sat for the moment. I could hear the sound of a jet or missile coming close with the whistle and hiss of its flight, like the sounds in a video game or movie. I rushed over from the next room to put my arms around Iryna and my body between any direction that could harm, and listened as it became close, then far, quickly. I could hear over the phone the same sound but also the explosion on the phone first by milliseconds until I could feel and hear it at our apartment. Her mother said she was ok,” described Rowell.
That was the moment that a missile had struck the apartment building killing at least five people, with many more injured.
“The confirmation from the news, other eyewitnesses, and likely the military, all said the location of the explosion was half a kilometre from both of her parents,” he said.
“We started to stay hidden maybe 5 minutes after the explosion of the first overhead missile, once we knew what it was. We stayed in the hallway away from windows and near concrete walls. I think we were there about an hour, but halfway through that, is when the missile hit the building, and I heard the incoming and explosion. We stayed where we sat for another half hour afterwards but needed sleep. The alarms sounded and said the worry was over.”
Rowell reflects on the impact that such a terrible wartime experience has on a person’s mental well-being.
“This morning, after finally finding sleep when the birds began to sing, I could hear the same missile sound in cars going down the highway, and it brings back that moment each time. I can imagine there are so many others that will have to feel the same but are not leaving as I am fortunate to do now,” he added.
Ryan decided in to visit the site of the carnage to see it firsthand. Iryna’s father offered to show him as they were only a five-minute walk from where they had met in the morning.
“The strike was at 3 am, and I visited around 11:30 am,” he said. “There were people removing the windows in apartments and people removing the debris. It was full of activity everywhere with fire trucks lining the streets and police controlling the scene. It could be described similar to the aftermath of the Barrie tornado, but with anger, because of the pointless loss and destruction.”
The mayor of Lviv announced the names of four of the victims, confirming their ages at 32, 60, 35, and 63. The fifth victim hadn't been identified.
“I don’t speak the language, but I could see people wanted to see the aftermath, and they were full of curiosity and anger, those at the scene working didn’t have much time for emotion, and those that were displaced, all sat in the small camp setup in the square of the building. I myself felt sadness and anger and frustration. The sadness comes from seeing others in that state but also knowing how many lives have been displaced and that nothing was gained from this attack and how it hurt so many. My frustration comes from knowing that I and so many others don’t need to be there in the way, but the world needs to see and feel the loss that this pointless war creates, and this is where my anger is,” said Rowell.
But for now, Ryan says that he is focused on getting himself and his girlfriend back home to Barrie and away from war.
“Iryna is now feeling some anxiety. I am too, but hers is linked to leaving the kids here in Ukraine with their father. It’s one of my fears too. It’s part of the agreement as they need to visit with their father. They have visas to make a quick exit if needed, but they are there to see family. The goal is to make a life in Canada,” he said.
“I’ve been sitting at the border now for an hour or more and all I hear are people talking, the birds, and some wind. This is relaxing me.”
