One last touch of my daughter's hand... after Putin's missiles pierced her tiny heart: Mother holds her four-year-old child as she is laid to rest in Ukraine after shrapnel struck her vital organs
- Zlata Rostochyl was just four when she died on May 23 in Odesa, Ukraine
- Her heart was wounded by a piece of shrapnel from a Russian missile
- She was buried yesterday in a ceremony attended by her family
Little Zlata's hand was cold to the touch, but her mother, Nadiia, never wanted to let go. She knew that this would be the last time she would ever feel her daughter's palms.
Nadiia and her husband, Viacheslav Rostochyl, made sure to bury their daughter with as many flowers, dolls and teddy bears as her casket could carry.
The young girl, born in November 2019, was buried in the Transfiguration Cathedral in Odesa, southern Ukraine, on May 26, three days after her heart, pierced by a Russian missile fragment, stopped beating.
Though she was unbearably young, she fought for her life for nearly an entire month, after the ballistic missile with illegal cluster munitions dropped on her home city on April 29.
But her strength and determination brought little comfort to her family, who all grieved deeply as they buried her in the Orthodox church.
Nadiia stared deeply into her daughter's eyes, knowing that they would never open again.
Little Zlata's hand was cold to the touch, but her mother, Nadiia, never wanted to let go
Though she was unbearably young, Zlata fought for her life for nearly an entire month
The young girl, born in November 2019, was buried in the Transfiguration Cathedral in Odesa, southern Ukraine
The Russian strike saw Vladimir Putin's forces take out a university building, the Odesa Law Academy, leading to the deaths of eight people, including Zlata.
More than 30 people were injured, including a pregnant woman and another child.
Odesans could only stand by and watch as the university building crumbled in on itself after being set alight by the missile, with local firefighters desperately trying to put the fire out.
Video footage from the time showed roiling smoke and flame licking the sky as it consumed the building.
A student at the academy who identified herself by her first name, Maria, said the blaze was caused when the missile was intercepted.
'In front of my eyes, a missile was shot down, this was just in front of me. My doors were blown open and the glass was shaking. And then I saw this,' she told Reuters at the time.
The Russian strike saw Vladimir Putin's forces take out a university building, the Odesa Law Academy
Zlata's heart was pierced by a fragment of a Russian missile
Zlata was born in November 2019
Her mother and father (pictured) were seen mourning the loss of their daughter
Family members grieved for the loss of little Zlata
'Just before this happened, we wanted to go down there for a walk, but thank God we weren't there when it happened.'
Odesa, home to a major Ukrainian port, has increasingly found itself in Russian crosshairs, with drone and missile attacks becoming more and more frequent as Russia uses dirtier and dirtier tactics to try and get an edge over Ukraine.
And children in particular have been affected by Russian efforts to attack critical infrastructure.
As of last month, around 600 children have been killed during Russia's invasion of Ukraine, while more than 1,350 have been injured, according to official UN data.
International organisations have accused Russia of deliberately targeting children in its invasion of Ukraine, with the International Criminal Court last year seeking an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia's commissioner for children's rights, for allegedly deporting and transferring Ukrainian children to Russia illegally.
Children in particular have been affected by Russian efforts to attack critical infrastructure
As of last month, around 600 children have been killed during Russia's invasion of Ukraine
International organisations have accused Russia of deliberately targeting children in its invasion of Ukraine
More than 1,350 children have been injured during Russia's invasion of Ukraine according to official UN data
Odesa, home to a major Ukrainian port, has increasingly found itself in Russian crosshairs
Ukrainian president Volodmyr Zelensky, leading the charge against Putin, is seeking more aid from the West to battle the despot, and is set to be received Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Spain today at noon.
The Spanish royal family said in a statement that King Felipe VI will also receive the Ukrainian leader at the palace, which usually happens after seeing the prime minister on state visits.
'Afterwards, King Felipe and Queen Letizia will host a lunch in his honour,' it added.
It is Zelensky's first official visit to Spain since he came to power in 2019, and comes more than two years after the Russian invasion of his country.
The Ukrainian president was due to visit Spain in mid-May, according to the Spanish palace, as well as Portugal. But he postponed his trip because of the Russian offensive in northern Ukraine, according to media.
Sanchez told the Spanish parliament on Wednesday that the two countries are preparing to sign a bilateral cooperation agreement.
'We have made decisive progress in our bilateral relations with the Ukrainian government,' the Socialist leader said.
'So much so that I can announce to you today that, as soon as the situation on the front allows, we will sign an agreement with Ukraine that will increase economic, social and institutional cooperation between our countries,' he added.
