Colombian writer Héctor Abad, on the Russian attack in Kramatorsk: “It was as if it came out of the bottom of the earth”

The Colombian writer Héctor Abad described this Wednesday in a telephone interview with Efe the moment when a Russian missile hit the pizzeria where he was dining in the town of Kramatarosk, in eastern Ukraine. Abad was at the restaurant with former peace commissioner Sergio Jaramillo and journalist Catalina Gómez, both his compatriots, when a Russian missile attack hit central Kramatorsk. At least nine people died and around 60 were injured, including Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina, who accompanied the group of Colombians on their trip to eastern Ukraine and is in critical condition after suffering head injuries.

It was “a very loud, very sharp sound, and everything started flying,” Jaramillo said. ” I fell on the ground ; It was as if lightning had struck,” he explained. “When I managed to get up, I saw that Victoria was very pale, motionless, sitting; Even though we called her, she didn’t react,” she recalls.

“There were a lot of cries of despair, of horror, and people running, journalists, women, young people, old people,” says Abad. “And then ambulances and people started arriving, rescuers, doctors,” adds the writer.

Abad and Jaramillo traveled to Ukraine to participate in the Kyiv Book Fair, where they introduced the Ukrainian public to the Hold on Ukraine! initiative, promoted by Jaramillo, the campaign aims to convey support for this country from America Latin and to make known the reality Ukraine in this part of the world.