A 98-year-old Ukrainian woman, Lidia Stepanivna, recounted her harrowing journey of walking 10 km (6 miles) amidst shelling, relying on sticks for support, and sleeping on the ground as she fled Ocheretyne in Donetsk.
A 98-year-old Ukrainian woman, Lidia Stepanivna, recounted her harrowing journey of walking 10 km (6 miles) amidst shelling, relying on sticks for support, and sleeping on the ground as she fled Ocheretyne in Donetsk, now occupied by Russia, in an attempt to reach areas controlled by Kyiv.
In a poignant video shared by Ukraine's police on social media, Stepanivna shared her remarkable tale of endurance. Despite enduring hunger, thirst, and multiple falls along the way, she credited her unwavering "character" for keeping her going.
"I survived that war," Stepanivna bravely declared, referring to World War Two, "and I am surviving this war." Sitting on a bed in a shelter, clad in an oversized coat and a scarf tied around her head, she clutched a wooden stick in her hand. "I'm left with nothing. But I left my Ukraine on foot."
"Houses are burning and trees are being uprooted," she said.
🇺🇦This is such a heartwarming story!❤️
Lidia Stepanivna escaped from the invaders, went through the entire front to reach Ukrainian territory. She was given all the necessary help and is now in safe hands❤️ pic.twitter.com/67pEpmF2oD
According to a statement on Ukraine's interior ministry website, the woman was found by Ukraine's military in the evening and transferred to the police, who subsequently took her to a shelter designated for evacuees.
"The authorities are actively searching for the woman's relatives," the ministry stated.
The exact timing of the woman's discovery was not immediately disclosed.
The conflict, now entering its third year with no resolution in sight, has resulted in the loss of thousands of lives, devastated Ukrainian communities, and forced millions of people to flee their homes.