Russian strike on Hroza kills 59 people: experts have identified all victims

This was reported by the Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko.

"59 people were killed by Russians with a direct hit from an Iskander in the village of Hroza. All the victims are local residents. Pensioners, doctors, farmers, teachers, entrepreneurs. All of them were civilians. Whole families of several generations died," Klymenko wrote.

It is noted that 19 bodies were identified using mobile DNA laboratories. One of the victims, a 60-year-old man, was identified by forensic experts using 20 body parts. Two more people were identified using personal belongings seized from the victims' homes.

This morning, the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, Oleh Syniehubov, reported 56 dead: 

"The death toll from the attack on the village of Hroza has increased to 56 people. A 53-year-old woman died in intensive care last night," he said in a statement.

Yesterday, Ukrinform reported that 55 people were killed, citing the spokesman for the Kharkiv regional prosecutor's office, Dmytro Chubenko.

"As of now, the death toll in the village of Hroza due to a Russian missile strike has increased to 55 people. During the day, two more women were identified among the dead, previously they were considered missing," Chubenko said.

According to him, three people are still missing. Identification of the bodies is ongoing.

"Based on the statements of relatives about the missing people, the number of dead may increase to 58 people. Criminologists and forensic experts are doing a very meticulous job of identifying the dead. For example, the body of one of the men who was at the epicenter of the explosion was torn into at least 19 pieces," added the prosecutor's spokesman.

Tragedy in Hroza: what is known

On October 5, Russia shelled the village of Hroza, Kharkiv region, killing at least 50 people and injuring 6 others. The Russians hit a cafe where a memorial dinner was taking place at the time. A hit from an Iskander-M missile was recorded.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights sends a field team to investigate the Russian strike on the village of Hroza in the Kharkiv region.

As of October 7, law enforcement officers had identified 48 victims. Experts have collected DNA samples from at least 16 relatives. Another 79 samples from unidentified bodies and fragments of remains were being run through the ANDE DNA complex at the time.

Later, on October 9, it became known about 49 identified bodies of residents of the village of Groza.

On October 10, the police announced that the death toll had risen to 53 people. In total, the police received 22 reports of missing persons in the village of Hroza, 4 of which were not confirmed - the people were found, 13 people were identified among the recovered bodies. Five people remained missing. Since October 5, investigators and forensic experts have been working around the clock to identify the victims. During this time, 288 DNA tests were conducted.

Law enforcement officers have identified the likely adjuster of the Russian strike on Hroza - local ex-combatant brothers who fled to Russia. The older brother reportedly learned from the locals who would come to the memorial service, when it would take place, and where exactly. He passed this information on to his Russian superiors, who decided to shell the civilian facility.