On 23 September 2026, Kyiv once again became the target of a massive Russian attack. Among those who found themselves in the immediate vicinity of the epicenter of the explosions was Olympic champion and European champion in rhythmic gymnastics, Viktoria Onopriienko. In her Instagram account @viktoriia_onopriienko, the athlete published a touching and terrifyingly sincere message about what she had been through. According to Sport RBC.UA, at the time the reports on the consequences of the strike were published (15:00), two people had been killed as a result of the attack, and a further 25 were injured.
Epicenter of the strike: what the athlete told
Viktoria Onopriienko said that at the moment of the attack she was in the immediate vicinity of one of the locations hit by Russian missiles. In her words, already after the first explosion she fell into a state of stupor — a condition in which a person loses the ability to adequately assess what is happening and to make decisions. “The second explosion — and you no longer understand what to do. Your hands and legs start to go numb,” the athlete described her physical and psychological reactions to the shockwave. This description fully matches the clinical picture of an acute stress reaction, in which the body switches into a “freeze” mode as one of the responses to an extreme threat.
“Is this all?”: saying goodbye to life in a single second
The most terrifying moment, according to Onopriienko, was that very second when the brain automatically begins to say goodbye to life. “You remember your mother. Your father. Your loved ones. The people you love. And one thought: ‘Is this all? Could I really just die right now?’” — the gymnast wrote. She emphasized that after yet another explosion comes the realization that “this is not a nightmare.” Such testimonies from Kyiv residents who found themselves in the impact zone are becoming increasingly common as Russian strikes on the capital continue throughout the war.
“For me, these are terrorists”: the position of the European champion
Viktoria Onopriienko did not soften her wording toward those who strike peaceful cities. “I do not want to find the ‘right’ words for those who launch missiles and drones at our cities every day. For me, these are terrorists. People who deliberately bring death, fear, and destruction to Ukraine,” the athlete stated. She added: “I hate this war. I hate that, because of Russia, Ukrainians are forced to live in constant fear for their lives. Just to live.” These words resonated with the opinion of a significant part of Ukrainian society, which is increasingly using the term “terrorism” to describe the systematic strikes on civilian infrastructure.
Consequences of the strike on Kyiv on 23 September
As of 15:00 on 23 September 2026, as a result of the Russian strike on Kyiv, according to available data, two people were killed and 25 were injured of varying severity. Hits on gas stations in several districts of the capital were also recorded, creating additional risks — from fires to environmental contamination. The full picture of infrastructure damage at the time of publication of this article was still being clarified by emergency services.
Context: a series of strikes on Ukrainian cities
The strike on Kyiv on 23 September became part of the ongoing series of Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities. Earlier, as Ukrainian media reported, a Russian strike destroyed the apartment of tennis player Elina Svitolina and her sister Maria in Odesa. Thus, strikes on residential quarters affect not only random residents but also the families of famous athletes whose lives before the war were centered on training and competitions. Viktoria Onopriienko’s testimony is yet another reminder that war has no “safe” addresses and makes no exceptions for champions.
