On December 12, during the evacuation of animals in Donetsk Oblast, our vehicle was attacked by a russian drone. The vehicle burned down.
At the moment of the strike, two members of the evacuation team, Vlad Myachev and Gennady Nuzhny, as well as two evacuated dogs, were in the car. Most importantly, everyone survived. The guys managed to run out of the car and carry both animals out.
“Just at the last second, I saw something hanging in front of the FPV and that was it. We just ran out and it hit the car,” Vlad explained.
Unfortunately, one of the dogs was seriously injured in the attack. Rescuers provided first aid, but a full assessment of the animal’s condition requires an examination at a veterinary clinic.
After the attack, the team and the animals were forced to wait out the danger, hiding away from the destroyed car. Russian troops continued to attack Druzhkivka with drones, so no one could immediately drive to the site. Now the team is leaving accompanied by the military. The animals will be taken to a veterinary clinic, and the members of the evacuation team will also undergo a medical examination.
UAnimals will no longer be able to use this vehicle to work and rescue animals. The car is completely destroyed and cannot be repaired. It had a clear inscription “Animal Evacuation.”
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the UAnimals team has evacuated more than 9,000 animals. We go out on routes every week, and each one is risky. Therefore, the team has protective equipment and regularly undergoes tactical medical training.
Despite all the security measures, this is already the second targeted attack on our evacuation vehicle. In February of this year, an enemy drone already struck our bus. Unfortunately, there are no “safe” guarantees from russian cruelty, and it is impossible to work a few dozen kilometers from the line of contact without risk.
The most important thing in this story is that everyone is alive. The evacuation team and the animals are fine, and we will continue to work. Because right now, animals in the frontline territories need help the most.
If you are able to support the work of UAnimals, please make a donation. It is thanks to this support that we can go out on routes, rescue animals from dangerous areas, and return for those who are still waiting to be rescued.
