Tragedy as girl, 17, 'with whole life ahead of her' killed in Russian strike on Ukraine
The relative of a 17-year-old girl killed by a Russian strike on Kyiv overnight has told LBC News of his pain and "frustration".
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Last night, Russia launched a mass drone and missile attack on Kyiv, including a strike in the centre of the city, marking its first combined attack on the Ukrainian capital in weeks.
Romeo Kokriatski, Managing Editor at the New Voice of Ukraine, revealed that his 17-year-old relative was killed in the attack.
Speaking to LBC News' Charlotte Lynch, he said: "I have a personal connection with this one...a member of my family was confirmed to be among the slain as a result of this attack.
"She was one of the children that was reported killed, she was a 17-year-old girl with her whole life ahead of her."
Read more: Kremlin rules out accepting NATO troops in Ukraine to end war
Mr Kokriatski said it is particularly tragic to see such young people, with their lives ahead of them, killed.
He said: "It's one thing when you hear about old folks and seniors passing away - it's tragic. But these are people who've lived full lives.
"A 17-year-old girl has barely begun to live, to form her own identity, to leave a mark in this world and then they're gone.
"I'm not really sure how to express the contempt I have for any person who makes that happen."
Mr Kokriatski said despite Russian attacks continuing for three years now, the pain caused has never faded.
He said: "You would think at some point the kind of feeling of this grey and oftentimes harsh resignation that Ukrainians have felt over the past three years, watching their countrymen, their family members, die unprovoked to Russian bombing attacks... you'd think this feeling would go away, it would fade somehow, but no, every time it's the same kind of bitter herb to taste
"This just unbelievable frustration, and the difficulty in, I guess, elucidating on that is part of grief."
The Foreign Office has summoned the Russian ambassador to the UK over the strikes on Kyiv, which Sir Keir Starmer condemned as "senseless".
The Russian strikes caused damage to a British Council building in Kyiv.
Sir Keir said Russian leader Vladimir Putin is "sabotaging" hopes of peace as US-led efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict struggle to gain traction.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: "Putin's strikes last night killed civilians, destroyed homes and damaged buildings, including the British Council and EU Delegation in Kyiv.
"We have summoned the Russian Ambassador.
"The killing and destruction must stop."
