This is the touching moment a Ukrainian rescuer saves a dog that was trapped at the foot of a destroyed bridge.
The images show the rescuer climbing down a rope to the stranded pooch and beckoning it to come over to him.
The dog slowly makes its way over to the rescuer who can be seen stroking it reassuringly before putting it into a bag that is then hoisted up by other rescuers.
The dog can be seen being given something to eat as the footage ends.
Newsflash spoke to the rescuer in an exclusive interview. He said that his name was Mykhailo Puryshev, 36, from Mariupol but now living in Kyiv.
He said that the footage was filmed in early October “in Kupiansk, a city that was liberated in September from the occupation in the Kharkiv region”.
Speaking about the situation in the area, Mykhailo said: “People have lost their homes, property, jobs, basic household items. They are forced to start everything from scratch: rebuild houses, look for new housing for rent, and move to new regions or other countries. And this is the least we have lost.
“Thousands of civilians have died from shelling, from cold, from hunger. Ukrainians who survived active hostilities were left with psychological trauma.
“Often during hostilities, pets get scared of shelling and run away. People spend months trying to find their pets. Often this is not possible, because animals change beyond recognition. They are dirty, thin, and scared.
“We make sure to take animal food on trips to support them as much as possible.
“And of course, we help people in the de-occupied territories to restore housing, bring food, personal hygiene products and just communicate and give hope for the future.”
Talking about the bridge, Mykhailo said: “This bridge unites 2 sides of the city of Kupyansk: the Left and the Right Bank. During the fighting, it was destroyed. We drove up on transport with humanitarian aid on the one hand, and on foot carried hundreds of packages with food to the other side. There was no other way to deliver much-needed aid to civilians.”
Speaking about rescuing the dog, Mykhailo said: “The very next day, water arrived at this place, and the island on which it stood was flooded. Help and support is needed for everyone who survived the terrible shelling of the Russian army. Therefore, I help, as I can, both people and animals. Only together we will overcome all the grief that the war has brought.”
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 264th day of the war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 14th November, Russia had lost about 81,370 personnel, 2,848 tanks, 5,748 armoured combat vehicles, 1,839 artillery units, 393 multiple launch rocket systems, 206 air defence systems, 278 warplanes, 261 helicopters, 1,509 drones, 399 cruise missiles, 16 warships, 4,316 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 160 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Russian forces destroyed key infrastructure in the southern city of Kherson before they retreated. Zelensky said that Russian troops had “destroyed all the critical infrastructure: communications, water, heat, electricity.”
Zelensky described the humanitarian situation as “severe” due to a lack of water, food and medicine. He also said that Ukrainian forces had removed nearly 2,000 mines, tripwires and unexploded shells that had been left by the retreating Russian forces.
Citizens across Ukraine have hailed the recapture of the southern city, with images of locals welcoming the Ukrainian forces with tears of joy making headlines around the world.
Yaroslav Yanushevych, the Ukrainian Governor of the Kherson region, said that everything was being done to “return normal life” to the region.
Zelensky also accused Russian soldiers of committing war crimes and killing civilians in Kherson. On Sunday, Zelensky said: “Investigators have already documented more than 400 Russian war crimes.
“Bodies of dead civilians and servicemen have been found. The Russian army left behind the same savagery it did in other regions of the country it entered.”
Ukrainian forces are also assessing what is said to be significant new damage to the Nova Kakhovka dam, which the Russians attempted to blow up when they retreated from Kherson.
It is feared that the dam could flood the area and the city of Kherson if it ruptures. It is currently unclear if its structural integrity is at risk.
Zelensky said that the pro-Russian forces were fighting fiercely in the eastern Donetsk region, saying: “Battles in Donetsk region are just as intense as they have been in previous days.”
He added: “The level of Russian attacks has not declined. And the level of our resilience and courage is at its highest. We will not allow them through our defence.”
