Elvira Zaikova told The Press she has post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from living in Ukraine during the invasion and the noise caused “terrible anxiety”.
The noise – heard yesterday (Thursday, May 1) shortly before 1pm – is thought to have been a sonic boom caused by two jets seen above York.
But, as The Press has reported, the operator of the aircraft remains unknown.
United States Air Force and Royal Air Force officials told The Press that neither force had high speed aircraft in the York area when the bang was heard.
Ukrainian refugee Elvira Zaikova who says a loud bang heard in York ‘sounded exactly the same’ as when the ‘full-scale Russian invasion began’ (Image: Elvira Zaikova) Ms Zaikova, who moved to Britain three years ago from Kharkiv following Russia’s invasion, said her “first thought was Russia” when she heard the bang.
“These sounds sounded exactly the same as when I was in Ukraine and the full-scale Russian invasion began,” said the 26-year-old photographer, who now lives in Holgate.
“My friend immediately ran to my room and we tried to figure out again what was going on – and if it was war again.”
She said the sound was “so powerful that the windows and the whole house shook”.
“We immediately called my friend’s mother to make sure she was okay, as she has lived through the occupation in Ukraine and the invasion of Russian soldiers right into her home.”
Bang was ‘terrible for people with PTSD’
Ms Zaikova said “anxiety was replaced by anger and irritation” after the noise was over.
She said there was “no warning” about the bang which was “terrible for people with PTSD, animals and small children”.
“It seemed like just a mockery of ordinary residents as it was in the sky over civilian infrastructure and without warning for a very long time.”
Some residents suggested that the noise came from two US F-15 aircraft practicing “dog fighting” – a close-range aerial battle – after leaving the base at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk.
But a US air force spokesperson told The Press this morning “we did not have any F-15E’s or F-35’s in the York area at that time yesterday”.
“Additionally there were no reports of one of our aircraft having a supersonic event near York at that time either.”
It follows an RAF spokesperson yesterday confirming to The Press that it had no “fast jet aircraft capable of supersonic flight or indeed any other aircraft” in the area at the time. Therefore, a spokesperson said it was not RAF aircraft.
No information is available on flight tracking websites about the aircraft.
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