'It's nothing new for me' Residents of flats are fatalistic but still defiant

Residents of flats are fatalistic but still defiant

- Dan Sabbagh

It was a deadly moment that unfortunately came as no surprise. At about 3am the unmistakable crump of explosions could be heard across Kyiv, enough to wake up tens of thousands and leave them contemplating whether to head for shelter or hope for the best in their home.

At a five-storey apartment block in the city's Darnytskyi district, residents said they had heard bombing in the distance - a familiar sound. Many had gathered away from the windows in central corridors that extended along the block only for disaster to strike.

"We didn't understand what had happened," said Oleksandr Yastremskyi, who had taken refuge in a corridor with his wife, Tetiana, and their son Denys.

"It's like something had landed into our house. And then we heard people screaming." A hundred metres away, the other end of their building collapsed, sending "a big wave of dust and smoke" in their direction, according to Tetiana.