The photo shows twenty French bulldogs crammed into a car as their Ukrainian owners fled Russian bombs at her Kyiv home. She even returned to the warzone in order to save 30 other ‘defenceless’ animals.
Olena Lukash 53 from Kyiv said that she believed a war would start in her homeland until Russian shells began landing close to her house on February 24, after the invasion against Ukraine.
The 53-year old realized quickly that she had to protect her “four-legged” children from this terrifying threat and decided to leave her homeland to head to Poland.
Pictures show 20 dogs being crammed in the Hyundai Tucson by the owner of the dog kennel. They were unaware of what was happening and how scared they are.
Bemerkenswertly, Olena with her husband Alexander had left the dogs in Poland. After that, they returned to Russia-occupied to rescue another 30 dogs and fled to Vinnitsa (173 miles from Kyiv).
As his troops failed to capture Kyiv, the Russian President Vladimir Putin’s main objective in his hopes of forcing a settlement and dictating future country political alignments, the war that he started lasted for its fourth week.
Pictured are twenty French Bulldogs crammed into a car, while Olena Lukash (53), fled Russian bombs from her Kyiv home and returned to the warzone with 30 other ‘defenceless’ animals.
Alexander, Olena’s husband left their dogs in Poland. They returned to Russia to save 30 other dogs and fled to Vinnitsa (173 miles from Kyiv).
Other cities of Ukraine were under attack on Friday as well. Lviv was in western Ukraine and Kharkiv was in east.
The borders of Kyiv and Lviv were both savagely attacked by missiles, shelling, and other weapons. They are located close to Ukraine’s western border with NATO nations such as Poland.
Olena, a 53-year-old Kyiv-based breeder, will be facing the same difficult drive to Poland next week. However, Olena acknowledges that the money is not running out.
The couple face a £378 (₴14,699 Ukrainian hryvnia) bill each week just to feed the dogs.
Olena from Kyiv (Ukraine) said that her dogs were like children. My job is to take care of my dogs. They are all French Bulldogs, my favorite breed of dog for over 30 years.
“I believed a war couldn’t start. After the first week, I believed that all would be over quickly. But then I saw that shells were falling near my house. I realized that I had to rescue my four-legged family members.
“I adopted the first litter of dogs.” [10 dogs and 10 puppies]On March 9, I flew to Poland. The drive took me four days. The roads are jammed with traffic.
I returned to my village after it was taken over by Russian troops, and I took out the remaining dogs and puppies. [20 dogs and 10 puppies].
“Now, we’re 300km from hostilities. But I intend to take my dogs to safety in Europe.
“I love my dogs deeply. It is my goal to protect the lives and well-being of defenseless animals. It is possible with my strength and ability to do this.
“They obey me and they are my strength. They are obedient and I am strong. We are safe and together.
The 53-year old Kyiv breeder will have to make the same long drive from Kyiv back to Poland next week. But Olena says that money is not running out quickly. The couple face a £378 (₴14,699 Ukrainian hryvnia) bill each week just to feed the dogs (Olena pictured with husband Alexander)
Olena, who is currently in Vinnitsa, central Ukraine with her remaining dogs claims that they require money to fuel their rescue efforts.
Olena explained that Olena was in Ukraine with dogs, Vinnitsa with her friend. To continue our journey, we need money to buy food, fuel and medicine for the dogs.
I have received thousands of letters from people. I have no time to go through everything.
“I tell people that I am in need of help. Financial assistance is provided by individuals. The rest of the group helps out with their sympathies.
“All American friends are usually silent, they don’t want to help.
“So far I have only been to Ukraine once. Two or three more trips are needed.
“I don’t know how much money I have spent on dogs. I just think it was a good guess.” [£378]I could feed all of them for a week.
According to the married animal lover, she plans to continue to rescue dogs until she can get her safety. She may even form groups in neighboring countries to help dogs who are rescued find safe homes.
“It’s impossible to depend on medicine and help because it all happens spontaneously. Now, gasoline is extremely expensive.
“I must raise funds for the long-term and find homes for my dogs.”
According to the married animal lover, she plans to continue saving other dogs until she can get her safety. She may even form groups in neighboring countries so that rescued dogs have a long-term safe home.
Olena stated that she first needs to make sure my dogs are safe in Europe, then I can help the dogs of Ukraine.
“We already have groups set up and people selected to transport animals throughout Europe from Poland, Romania and Poland. However they still need fuel assistance.
“It’s a lot of work, and I don’t have much energy right now.
“Without my husband I wouldn’t have dealt with this situation.”
Olena remains in Ukraine while the UN reported that 3 million refugees fled Ukraine after the April invasion.
The Russian troops are trying to seize control of Kiev, Ukraine’s capital.
Ukrainian civilian injured in a Russian bombing raid is evacuated from her apartment in Kyiv.
One man walks by a badly damaged residence after a bombardment in Kyiv’s Podilskyi District.
Un man and his dog talk with an officer of the Ukrainian military near cars destroyed by bombings in Kyiv
After being hit by the shelling of Russia, a view of a children’s school in Kyiv.
The view from a demolished children’s school in Kyiv.
Vladimir Putin has been attempting to achieve his main objective of taking Kyiv, and strikes have continued on Lviv and the capital. These were held in the wee hours Friday.
Currenty, the dividing line runs approximately 15 kilometers from Kyiv. Russian troops still attempt to seize control of Kyiv with a slow-moving assault.
Many people in Mariupol are now trapped underneath rubble left from the Russian bombing of their theatre.
Evacuees tell of their ‘hell’ after being rescued by 130, but many others remain unknown.
The possibility exists that they could be submerged in rubble at one end of the bomb shelter, and not be possible to evacuate because Russian troops have destroyed the rescue service.
Ukrainian politician Serhiy Taruta wrote of the disaster on Facebook: ‘No one understands. Services which are meant to aid are demolished and emergency services and utilities… are physical destroyed. Many doctors were killed.
“This is because all survivors of the bombing are either going to be buried under the rubble of the theatre or will have already been killed.”
People are dying in streets and hospitals because of lack of doctors.
While the city was under attack, bodies were covered in thin soil layers to protect them.
Many people fear they are trapped underground in bomb shelters at Mariupol’s theatre, which were destroyed on Wednesday night by a Russian attack
Although rescuers have been trying to find the bomb shelters in the rubble, the mayor of the city warns that the work is slow and very dangerous because the building continues to be shelled.