As Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine, citizens have been spotted holding on to their dear pets while fleeing to safety. People are seeking refuge in bomb shelters or neighboring countries. On several social media platforms, photos of people and their beloved animals have popped up showing them huddling in bomb shelters and subway stations. Olena Kurilo, a 52-year-old teacher who was injured when her Chuguiv home was bombed, said in a video uploaded to Twitter byEuroNews, “I never thought that such a thing could happen. I never thought that this would truly happen in this lifetime. We wrote poems about the war. I myself am a director, an educator; we studied the history but we never thought that this would happen on our land. The house is completely destroyed, there are no windows, no doors, one door even flew out. Even the floor has been completely ripped off,” she continued. “I am just very lucky, I must have a very strong guardian angel for me to have stayed alive. I will stand up and go, I will do everything for Ukraine, as much as I can, with as much energy as I have. I will always only be on my motherland’s side.”
A teacher named Olena Kurilo has become a symbol of the human cost of Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine https://t.co/3J4UFK5WHZ
— The Times (@thetimes) February 25, 2022
Many Ukrainians are fleeing to nearby countries, including Poland and Moldova. In these terrifying times, citizens are refusing to leave without their pets by their side. Here are some heartwrenching photos of Ukrainians holding their pets close amid war.
In the bomb shelter with my cat. She’s been very brave. pic.twitter.com/tk7nuj87zQ
— Nolan Peterson (@nolanwpeterson) February 25, 2022
Ukrainians fleeing with their pets 🐾 pic.twitter.com/hdTSPQAcNh
— Deborah Von Brod (@DeborahVonBrod) February 24, 2022
People in Kyiv don't leave their cats behind. pic.twitter.com/romBYtwB29
— 💀Cromortuary💀 (@CromartyHeather) February 25, 2022
A place is made up of so many tiny stories. And each one is big. The cat cafe is open because the owners say – there are 20 cats here to feed. “This is our life”. They will not leave. pic.twitter.com/jZDKHZPINi
— Erin Burnett (@ErinBurnett) February 25, 2022
Ukrainian soldiers with cats 🐱 pic.twitter.com/R2MTzoqMWN
— David Leavitt (@David_Leavitt) February 27, 2022
The UNICEF Moldova team traveled to the Palanca crossing point on the border of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, where the Temporary Refugee Center is located, offering a first batch of humanitarian aid to refugees with children.#ForEveryChild pic.twitter.com/xJ8HDnVphn
— UNICEF Moldova 🇲🇩 (@UNICEFMoldova) February 27, 2022
The UNICEF Moldova team traveled to the Palanca crossing point on the border of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, where the Temporary Refugee Center is located, offering a first batch of humanitarian aid to refugees with children.#ForEveryChild pic.twitter.com/xJ8HDnVphn
— UNICEF Moldova 🇲🇩 (@UNICEFMoldova) February 27, 2022
Some folks in the country are seeking help online to help get them to safety along with their pet animals.
If history has taught us anything it’s that no one really wins in war; countless innocent lives are lost: both human and animal.
Cover Image Source: Photo by Pierre Crom/Getty Images
