An infant pulled out of the rubble alive has regained consciousness a week after an explosion sent a section of an apartment block crashing in the industrial city of Magnitogorsk, Russia’s top health official said Monday.
The infant, between 10 and 11 months old according to various reports, was found with a frostbitten leg and a head injury on New Year’s Day after 35 hours spent in the freezing cold. The pre-dawn Dec. 31 blast, believed to be caused by a gas leak, killed 39 residents of the Soviet-era apartment block.
“Today we can say that the baby has improved significantly: he has been breathing on his own for two days,” Russian Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova was quoted as saying by Interfax.
“He’s actively responding and communicating with his mother,” she told journalists.
The baby’s family survived the tragedy: his father was at work, while his mother and older brother escaped the apartment block as it was collapsing.
“This is a New Year’s miracle for us,” the father, Yevgeny Fokin, said after the rescue.
Skvortsova also promised that doctors will be able to save the baby’s frostbitten leg, noting that it will be a “long and difficult” process.
“The worst is over,” Interfax quoted her as saying. “We can say that the child has survived.”
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
