A striking image of Major-General Oleksandr Volobuev cradling a small girl as he carries her from a burning kindergarten has become a symbol of courage amid Russia’s escalating attacks on civilians in Ukraine.
Wrapped in his coat — only her tiny pink shoes visible — the child is one of 48 rescued from the Honey Academy kindergarten in Kharkiv’s Kholodnohirsky district after a Russian Shahed drone directly struck the building. The photograph of the rescue spread rapidly across social media, turning the commander into a national hero overnight.
“We heard it was a kindergarten and felt immediate fear. We knew children were inside,” Maj-Gen Volobuev told the BBC. “All we thought about was saving them.”
A Deadly Attack on the Innocent
The Iranian-designed Shahed drone dropped its deadly payload without warning, ripping through the two-storey brick school. Although an air-raid siren had sounded moments earlier, teachers managed to rush the children into the basement.
Smoke, fire, and falling debris turned the rescue into a desperate race against time.
Russia denies targeting civilian infrastructure. But there are no military facilities near the site. Ukrainian officials say the strike was intentional — another sign of Moscow’s disregard for civilian life.
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack: “There is no justification for striking a kindergarten. Russia grows more brazen every day.”
A Team of Everyday Heroes
Among the rescuers was Fedir Uhnenko, a Civil Defence Service press officer who usually documents emergencies rather than running into them.
“When I saw those children looking at us with fear in their eyes, I couldn’t just stand by,” he said.
His helmet camera recorded scenes of the chaotic rescue — now seen around the world. In one clip, Fedir carries a little boy across rubble and flames.
“I kept telling him everything would be okay,” he recalled. “He held onto me so tightly — but he didn’t cry.”
A Narrow Escape
All 48 children survived, along with their teachers. But the attack claimed a life nearby, and nine adults were injured — including a woman who lost her leg.
And the danger wasn’t gone. Russia has repeatedly launched “double-tap” strikes — targeting the same location again to kill emergency workers. A firefighter near Kharkiv was killed the following day in such an attack.
Inside the kindergarten, every classroom was destroyed — toys crushed under shattered brick and twisted metal.
“They Deserve Peace”
Even after witnessing such horror, the rescuers remain steadfast in their mission.
“We must endure this and win,” Maj-Gen Volobuev said.
“For those 48 children — for all our children — we want only peaceful, happy lives.”
