Animal rescuers severely injured in Russian drone attack while saving dogs in Ukraine

A Ukrainian volunteer, Ruslan Horbal, said he is “grateful to be alive” after a Russian drone struck his car while he was rescuing stranded dogs near the frontline in Kramatorsk, an eastern city heavily bombarded by Russian forces.

Horbal, 43, was transporting animals into the back of his vehicle when the drone exploded, killing one of the dogs. He was severely injured, suffering wounds to his eye and ear, and was hospitalized after the attack on 31 August. A French volunteer named Florian was also badly hurt, sustaining injuries to his arm and eye.

The incident highlights the extreme danger faced by volunteers of Animal Rescue Kharkiv (ARK), a group financially supported by PETA that has moved more than 32,500 animals to safety since Russia launched its full‑scale invasion in February 2022. Volunteers must navigate missiles, drones and shelling to reach animals trapped in front‑line areas.

Horbal explained that drones pose a particular threat because they can spot vehicles from above and often give little warning. “We are always listening, always watching the sky,” he said, adding that the animals cannot understand the war and must be rescued.

Despite the loss of one dog and his own injuries, Horbal expressed determination to return to the field once he has recovered. “I have seen what happens to animals left behind – alone, starving and frightened,” he said. “Knowing they are still out there, waiting for help, I cannot just stay home.”