Russian-speaking Parisians about the attacks

In Paris, which on Friday, November 13, survived a series of terrorist attacks, at that moment there were many immigrants from Russia and Ukraine. Together with the French, they worried about their relatives and friends and, without stopping, watched the news reports. The “Forum” learned firsthand what was happening on the streets of Paris that day and how people coped with the stressful situation.

Irina Korneeva, Russian, museum worker, lives in the suburbs of Paris 6 for years. At the time of the terrorist attacks, she was in the city center.

We went to the cinema - we are currently hosting the “Russian Cinema Week in Paris” festival. The cinema is located in the city center. Right during the screening, a girl came in and said that they were forced to interrupt the screening of the film, since shootings had occurred simultaneously in different areas of Paris. She said that there were casualties, about a hundred people died at the stadium where the football match was taking place. The girl advised us to urgently contact our family and let them know where we were and that everything was okay with us. We were advised to go home straight from the center. Although I now see that the entire Internet is writing that Parisians should not leave their homes and not use public transport.

I was very scared and decided that I would stay overnight with a friend. She lives near the center where I was. Because I rent an apartment in the suburbs and I need to pass through that metro station “French Stadium”, near which everything happened. I was shocked. I'm still afraid to go out. My friend and I took a taxi and asked to bring us faster.

By the way, the driver was very similar to the Arab Muslim. He turned on the loud radio and began to comment on what he heard. The taxi driver began to convince us that Muslims have nothing to do with it, and now they are supposed to hang all the blame on them.

Recently, none of the French do not want to add fuel to the fire, in Paris, trying not to talk about Muslims.

Of course, we have a lot of them here. When new refugees arrived, we did not even notice this increase. Paris is already divided very clearly into regions. There are areas where it is very dangerous; people are not advised to buy apartments or live there.

When we drove to our friend's house, in the “Santoni” area, helicopters circled in the air and everything was cordoned off. Very scary. Howl sirens.

I just rode and thought: “God, I wish I could get to the house faster and just hide.”

The rock concert, where young people died, was in fact in the hall, very popular among French youth. I think that these creatures specifically chose such a place. My friends and I are often there. It is like what happened at the Nord-Ost in Moscow.

Here I am now, late at night, looking out the window - everyone’s lights are on. Nobody is sleeping.

Evgenia Salnikova, a journalist, lives in Paris 8 for years and was at home at the time of the attacks.

It was an ordinary Friday night and I was too tired after the work week to go for a walk with friends. I just sat and watched a movie, planned a trip to Ikea the next day, when somewhere in 23: Paris time 30 rang the first call: “Are you all right?”.

I opened the site LeFigaro, on the first page were specials.

Shooting in the Bataklan concert hall, shooting in the 11 area, shooting in the 10 area, explosions near the stadium, news was updated literally every ten seconds.

“Mom, I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm at home,” I wrote a message to my mother on all social networks and on all numbers to the sounds of sirens outside the window.

The phone started to break. I duplicated the message to all my relatives and friends: “I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm at home,” nervously updating the news feed.

Everything was not good. The phone rang. A friend from work reported that a colleague was injured in the concert hall and his phone was not responding.

To the sounds of sirens were added patrol helicopters and panic ringing in the temples. After dozens of calls and messages, it turned out that he was already provided with first aid. We did not have time to sigh as the news began that now the shooting was elsewhere in Paris.

It became very scary. January events ran through before my eyes when it seemed that it could not be worse. Already, today's news feeds ran after them, which every minute showed the opposite - as much as it could.

“Please check if you are safe,” Facebook asked. I clicked on “safe,” although the word “safe” no longer meant anything at that moment.

There are moments that are remembered forever and a person can certainly tell where he was during this or that event.

Two in the morning, Friday night. The city did not sleep at all. Not even a year has passed since Charlie Hebdo editorial attacksas Paris was again swept by sticky, cold and very terrible insomnia. This time, life is divided into before and after November 13.

Julia Vriio, translator, came to Paris a year ago.

The French try to support each other. As soon as news of the incident became known, people cooperated and created the hashtag #porteouverte, which translated means “open doors.” Residents of Paris offer accommodation for the night to anyone who finds themselves on the street. They write their home address and indicate the metro where they live. There are already hundreds of offers of help on Twitter from French people who live near the events.

All friends now write to each other, find out if everything is in order. No one sleeps. Our friend lives near one of the sites of the attack. He heard shooting.

And on Monday, he had tickets to another rock concert in the same theater.

Ilya Varlamov, one of the most popular bloggers of the Russian Internet, also ended up in Paris during the tragedy and became conduct online broadcast of events (text taken from his site).

I'm in Paris now.

On the night of November 14, a series of terrorist acts were committed in central Paris, for which the Islamic State group has already claimed responsibility.

According to data on 5 in the morning Moscow time, three explosions thundered near the Stade de France stadium, where the match between France and Germany was held at that moment. It was attended by President Francois Hollande.

Terrorists also took hostages at the Bataclan theater. As a result of the assault, the special forces destroyed all the terrorists, about 100 people died during the capture, including 4 special forces. In addition, shooting was recorded in the Louvre area and the La belle equipe cafe was shelled.

According to the latest CNN data, all 153 people died as a result of all terrorist attacks.

Natalia Anatolieva, arrived in Paris 8 years ago, legal assistant.

I was at home and was going to go to a party with friends. I watched a football match. And here friends write to me that terrorist attacks in Paris do not go anywhere. I was scared and thought they were joking. Friday 13 But then they interrupted the match on TV and the news began. I immediately realized that everything is true. We canceled meeting with friends and stayed at home. I called my mom in St. Petersburg and said that everything was fine with me. Then all the friends began to write and ask how I was, and if everything was alright with me.

There is a hospital near my house. I heard the wailing of the ambulance sirens. There are a lot of wounded.

Recently, I began to notice that a large number of police and military with machine guns appeared in the city. But I thought that perhaps this was due to political events.

When I heard about the terrorist attacks in Moscow or in New York, I was sure that this would not affect us and told myself that this would not happen to us.

Tomorrow I have to go to work. I have a car, it might protect me somehow.