Radio na Dotyk studio was damaged in a combined Russian strike on Zaporizhzhia overnight on 11 August. The panoramic windows were blasted out, and the wall and door between the studio and the guest room were damaged, chief editor Olha Vakalo reported to the Institute of Mass Information’s regional representative.
Vakalo said the studio’s panoramic windows suffered the most damage: they were blasted out completely. Soundproofing curtains that had been installed over the windows intercepted some of the glass shards, but fragments scattered across the room regardless.
“We have panoramic windows, and they’re completely ruined — blown out entirely. Thankfully, we have curtains, soundproofing curtains that were on those windows, and they held back some of it, so it scattered across the studio, but mostly ended up on the floor,” the chief editor said.
The wall between the guest room and the studio was also damaged, and part of the door between the two rooms was dislodged by the shock wave.
The room on the third floor where the team stored equipment boxes and other supplies was damaged as well. The windows and a door were blasted out there as well, and the room was littered with debris.
The team is now assessing the state of the equipment. Vakalo said it showed no visible damage on the outside, but was covered in dust and glass shards.
“We’ll be checking whether it still works. Thankfully, we’ve even got lights right now. We brought torches to sort through everything, but we have power, so we’re going through it with the lights on now,” the journalist said.
Despite the damage to the studio, none of the outlet’s team were hurt. “What matters is that everyone’s alive,” Vakalo said.
Because of the damage to the studio, the live stream planned for 11 August will go ahead in an unusual format.
“I think we’ll just go live from a phone,” the chief editor said.
She said that the team had notified the people who were supposed to speak on air that day that the station would be unable to work properly from the studio.
“Still, we’re hoping to keep working going forward,” Vakalo added.
As reported earlier, IMI’s regional journalist hub Mediabaza Zaporizhzhia has become a temporary headquarters for the Suspilne Zaporizhzhia editing team. Due to constant shelling near their office, the broadcaster’s staff asked to temporarily relocate some of their resources to the Mediabaza.