07/14/2026

We Saw A Rocket Right Above Us’: Mother Recalls Horror Of Losing 4-Year-Old Liza In russian Missile Attack

Liza’s pushchair lies on its side outside the ruins of the Jubilee building on 14 July courtesy © BBC

Iryna Dmytriyeva was strolling in Victory Square, in the Ukrainian city of Vinnytsya, along with her daughter Liza. They were heading for an appointment with a speech therapist, to help Liza, a vibrant 4-year-old whose struggles with Down syndrome – as well as her joys and accomplishments — Iryna had documented on social media.

The city was hit by cruise missiles, several fired from a russian submarine in the Black Sea. Liza was killed on the spot, one of 27 people, including two other children, who died in the July 14, 2022, attack. Iryna was badly wounded and was hospitalized briefly in a coma.

Shortly before the missiles struck, Iryna had posted a video online. It was a beautiful sunny day and little Liza was smiling, pushing her pink chair in front of her, as they chatted about heading to see her speech therapist.

There’s nothing left of the clinic itself but fire-blackened walls.

The medical centre in the Jubilee centre was all but destroyed: photo courtesy of © BBC

Officials here now say over 800 children have died and hundreds more have been injured since russia launched this war. President Volodymyr Zelensky called the latest killings an act of terrorism.

Tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilians have been killed over the years since russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, sending troops to seize territory and pummeling the country with missiles and drones targeting not only military facilities, but also homes, civilian buildings, electricity grids, and water pumping stations.

Liza was one of those killed by a russian missile.

russia’s defence ministry issued a statement about its strike, which made no mention of the children’s deaths. Instead, it claimed that russia fired “high-precision” missiles and “destroyed” a meeting of Ukrainian military and foreign officials who were discussing weapons deliveries.

There was nothing at all at the site to corroborate that.

What russia actually hit was a building called Officers’ House on Victory Square. But the only military thing about it appears to be its name, which dates back to Soviet times.

“Liza was very cheerful, She was a very kind child.”

She is forever missed along with countless other Ukrainians. Heaven took her up, but the world will never forget her.

Relatives and friends attend the funeral ceremony for Liza, a 4-year-old girl killed in a Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Vinnytsya four years ago. Source: Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty

Sources:

© BBC 2022

© Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty

https://www.youtube.com/@almostco/shorts

Editor: Bill B.