Authorities React to Incident of Children Denied Shelter During Air Alert
Date: 2023-12-15 Author: Dima Zakharov Categories: KYIV
Authorities' Strong Reaction
In a concerning incident during an air alert in Svyatoshynsky district of Kyiv, two children, an 11-year-old girl, and a 12-year-old boy attempted to seek shelter in their school, but were denied entry by a security guard allegedly because they were accompanied by a dog. This incident has sparked outrage and was deemed unacceptable by the Chief of Kyiv Military Administration (KMA) Sergey Popko.
Popko emphasized the gravity of the situation by stating that a criminal case has been registered, and a pre-trial investigation has been initiated by the Svyatoshynska district prosecutor's office. The investigation is regarding the deliberate abandonment of children who were in a life-threatening situation and were deprived of the opportunity to take self-preservation measures.
Ensuring Personal Oversight
As the head of the Kyiv Military Administration, Popko assured personal oversight over this case. He highlighted the importance of not only identifying the guilty parties but also understanding the root cause behind such an incident and the decision-making process of the responsible individual.
Popko addressed all managers responsible for shelters or specific shelter units in the city, urging internal checks and educational work with staff responsible for admitting people. He emphasized an unequivocal rule: all shelters must be open and accessible to all residents of Kyiv without exception during alerts, as it concerns life itself. He stressed that no mistakes would be forgiven in such matters.
Commitment to Prevent Recurrence
Popko pledged that the military administration would take all necessary measures, even unpopular ones, to ensure such glaring incidents do not recur, and that all residents of Kyiv feel protected in their city.
Reportedly, Kyiv experienced five air alerts on December 14, lasting nearly 5 hours, during which the adversary launched several aeroballistic missiles, including towards Kyiv. One of the missiles was intercepted by air defense systems.
