Ukrainian soldier’s family found dead after Türkiye earthquake

Yulia Petrova, a 46-year-old woman, and her two sons from Zaporizhzhia, the city in the southeast of Ukraine regularly shelled by russian forces, died in Türkiye during a large-scale earthquake.

Serhii Petrov, the father of the deceased Yulia, told Ukrainian national broadcaster Suspilne that Zakhar was ten years old and Matviev was five. 

"Since February 6, when the earthquake happened, they stopped responding. But today, it was confirmed that their bodies were found under the rubble," he says.

According to the father, his daughter and sons moved to relatives in the city of Antakya, Hatay province, a few months ago.

Yulia's husband is a Ukrainian serviceman treated after wounding in Zaporizhzhia. After treatment, he planned to go to Türkiye to help search for his wife and children.

On February 6, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 occurred in Turkey and Syria. However, it was followed by two more with magnitudes of 7.7 and 7.6.

According to the latest data, more than 33,000 dead have been found in Türkiye and Syria. Thousands of rescuers are sorting through the rubble in the affected regions and trying to find survivors.