Many people have fled Ukraine as the war continues. Some were able to take their pets with them, while others were not so lucky. This one man was able to flee the besieged city of Mariupol with his puppy.
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Fleeing the war on foot
Ihor fled from Mariupol to Zaporizhzhia with his puppy named Zhuzha. The pair travelled 125 miles on foot, which took them 5 days. The determined duo’s journey included shelling, bad weather, and heat. At times, Ihor had to carry little Zhuzha to be able to continue the journey.
Ihor said he felt relieved when he reached the first Ukrainian checkpoint. When he arrived at Zaporizhzhia, he repeatedly said:
I feel at home now
Posted by Людмила Швайка on Wednesday, April 27, 2022
Liudmyla Shvaika, an animal rescue volunteer shared the incredible story on Facebook.
She wrote:
They left Mariupol at their own risk, as they had no idea what the situation was in the rest of the region and whether they would be able to cover such a distance on their feet, and paws.
Her paw pads are worn so much it hurts to look at them, and her owner could not believe that he made it
Posted by Людмила Швайка on Wednesday, April 27, 2022
Mariupol is besieged
Mariupol is a strategic port city and has been under heavy Russian bombardment since the start of the war in Ukraine, which was over 9 weeks ago. Many civilians have already fled the port city.
Although according to Ukrainian officials, there are still up to 1,000 civilians at the Azovstal steelworks. It is unclear how many Ukrainian fighters are left in the only part of the city that isn’t occupied by Russian forces.
The Russian army has counted around 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers around the plant.
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