On July 7th 2022, Viktor Koretsnik, a man who lost his wife Natalia Koretsnik in a Russian bombing in a residential area of Kharkiv, Ukraine, broke down in tears while holding her body. On July 7th 2022, paramedics carried the body of a woman who had been killed in a Russian shelling in a residential area of Kharkiv, Ukraine. A man cried as he hugged the body of the woman who had been killed by Russian shelling. Victor, her husband, who was kneeling, held his wife Natalia's body in his arms, and with one arm he held her shoulders, pressing his unshaven chin against the dust on her face.
Just before the Russian bombardment began, his wife Natalia had gone out to feed the cats. It was the afternoon of July 7th, 2022, and she was in the middle of running errands in the residential area. Kharkov is Ukraine's second largest city, located close to the border with Russia, and is only a short drive from the Russian border. On a hot and humid July 7th, Natalia, his wife, was hit by a shell in the overgrown courtyard. She was one of three bodies scattered around the area. Viktor, her husband, who was nearby, heard his mobile phone ring in the wallet on the bench. Viktor, her husband, was shocked by the sight of his wife's body. He didn't want to let go of his wife. He stroked her head.
“It's okay, Dad,” said his son, Oleksandr. He saw the paramedics waiting to close the bag containing his wife, Natalia's body, and said, “She's dead. Get up.” His father, Viktor, asked his son, “Don't you understand?” “Understand what?” Oleksandr replied, “This is my mother. Please, Dad. Please, Dad,” pleaded his son. His husband Viktor, who was kneeling down, held his wife Natalia's body in his arms, holding her shoulders with one arm and pressing his unshaven chin against the dust on her face. He took his wife's left hand in his own hand and covered it with his other hand again. His son Oleksandr's pleas continued, but his husband Viktor again shook his son's hand away.
Son Alexander said, “Dad, go.” But husband Viktor said, “I can't go. Look, my wife is covered in blood.” The son pleaded, “Everyone has to carry her out.” Viktor Viktor began to close the body bag himself, and then the paramedics took over the body of his wife Natalia. As the neighbors watched from the edge of the field, the Kharkiv authorities began searching for shrapnel. Her husband, Viktor, was left alone on a bench and cried. This was one of the events that led to the death of hundreds of people in Kharkov in the 19 weeks since the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war. It is certain that there will be more deaths in the future as the Russian army reorganizes and attempts to gain territory in eastern Ukraine. The UN Human Rights Office has confirmed the deaths of at least 4,889 civilians across Ukraine since the Russian invasion.