Ukraine: The testimony of the project manager Gabrielle Salemme after the attack in Poltava

It all happened so unexpectedly and quickly, to the point that the civilians did not even have the time to reach the safety shelters. The Russian missile attack launched on September 3 against a military school in Poltava, Ukraine, has been one of the deadliest of this conflict.

The bombed school was located just four kilometres from the offices of AVSI Foundation. Gabrielle Salemme, AVSI’s project manager in Ukraine, commented on the event in an interview with Vita.it and in one with Radio Popolare, recounting those complex and difficult moments.

Poltava is a city of 300,000 inhabitants, located in central-eastern Ukraine, about 140 kilometers from Kharkiv. Until now, it had always been considered a relatively safe city. This was the first instance of bombing there.

“The city hosts many internally displaced people who have arrived from the most heavily bombed areas of the Country because it was considered a safe place. The attack took place near the city’s train station, in a crowded area. I had never seen so much fear and terror in the eyes of my colleagues before this attack,” commented Salemme.

Now there is a health emergency in the city, and the mayor is appealing to citizens for blood donations to treat the over 290 people hospitalized with injuries.

Since the beginning of the war, AVSI has been working to offer education, protection and psychosocial interventions in support of the families. Until now, more than 180,000 people have been helped. In particular, Gabrielle Salemme is the project manager of "Prospect", an initiative funded by the Italian Cooperation that supports several multisectoral projects in the Country and offers eight community centeres where children can receive education and psychosocial assistance.