Russian troops targeted Snovsk (Chernihiv oblast) in a drone strike on 8 February, damaging the office of the newspaper Promin, chief editor Olena Kompanets reported to the Institute of Mass Information representative in Chernihiv oblast.
Kompanets said that the blast wave from the strike ripped out the door in the office and shattered the glass in six windows.
“It was a terrible, destructive strike in Snovsk. It started late on 8 February 8 and lasted through the morning. Many civilian infrastructure facilities were damaged, especially the railway. The shelling was extremely intense: it destroyed a diesel locomotive located 100 meters away from our office. And the blast wave blew out our door and shattered the glass in six windows,” Olena Kompanets recalled.
Promin office. Photo shared by Olena Kompanets
The newspaper’s office is located in central Snovsk, in the building that once hosted the railway freight office.
“Our city in special in that the railway is actually located in the center. We can see the railway depot in our window, and if we go out the other door, we end up is the central square,” the editor explains.
The office’s door damaged in the strike. Photo shared by Olena Kompanets
City Council staff have since reinstalled the damaged door, but it is beyond repair. The windows have been covered up with plastic film.
“What matters is that no one was hurt. This is the second blow to our team. The emotional toll is especially difficult, I have two colleagues working with me, their hands were shaking. They had to take an extra day off,” said Olena Kompanets.
The equipment in the office is intact. The team is now looking for benefactors to help shoulder the repairs.
The office’s door damaged in the strike. Photo shared by Olena Kompanets