“I arrived in Kramatorsk about 6 pm. Then I went straight to eat in restaurant Ria Lounge. It’s a big restaurant where many people work. All military and journalists in Kramatorsk come to eat here. Civilians also come here. It really is a meeting place,” says De Decker, who suspects that the two Russian cruise missiles were deliberately aimed at the restaurant.
“After I ate, I left for the hotel. About twenty minutes later I heard the explosion. The restaurant has been completely wiped out. There have been deaths. I heard people screaming from under the rubble. It’s terrible.”
Rescuers are currently on site. They’re trying to pull people out from under the rubble. Several victims are treated on the spot, others are taken to hospital. The exact number of victims is currently unknown. The authorities have not yet communicated figures.
Our journalist was able to make images of the devastation. The restaurant has been completely destroyed. The streets are littered with rubble.