Man escapes war‑torn Ukraine with cows and dog in tow

– When people ask me, "Where do you come from?" I say, "From the afterlife," – confesses the 70-year-old man who managed to escape from the village of Torske in the Donetsk region, shelled by the Russians. The elderly man did not flee alone; he took three cows and a dog with him because he did not want to leave them to their fate.

Anton Herashchenko, advisor to Ukraine's Minister of Internal Affairs, shares a lot of content on his X profile that gives insight into what is happening in Ukraine. He has just shared a moving story about the fate of a 70-year-old man from the village of Torske in the Donetsk region.

– There is little left of our village. When I started to leave, there were very powerful strikes. From ten in the evening to one in the morning without a break – recounts the senior.

The man managed to escape from the village, shelled by the Russians. He decided to flee after his neighbor's house was hit. – We grabbed what we could and set out at two in the morning – recalls the 70-year-old.

As we learn, the man did not flee alone. He did not want to part with his animals.

Grandpa walked from Torske with three cows and a dog – explains a young woman in the recording.

Unfortunately, the man was initially left to fend for himself. As we learn from the video's description, he first went to the Kharkiv region with the animals. Only later did he receive help from volunteers. They helped him get to the Poltava region, where he found a quiet, safe haven for himself and his animals.

He did not want to accept help, claiming he could manage on his own because he is strong. He did not worry so much about himself, but more about the animals – we hear in the recording.

– When we came to the neighboring village, covering about 4 to 5 miles, we saw a glow in the place where my hut used to stand – recalls the senior.

This is just one of many stories describing human tragedies. Many Ukrainians flee the war, taking their animals with them, but these are mainly dogs and cats. The 70-year-old did not want to part with his cows either.