Ruslan Horbal, a volunteer with Animal Rescue Kharkiv (ARK), was severely injured along with a French colleague when their car was hit by a Russian drone in Kramatorsk, Ukraine. The attack occurred while they were rescuing stranded dogs on August 31; one dog died and both rescuers required hospitalization and surgery for their injuries. Horbal notes that ARK has saved over 32,500 animals since the start of Russia’s invasion but faces significant risks due to constant bombardments in eastern Ukraine.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-14,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
A Ukrainian animal rescuer has said he is “grateful to be alive” after his car was struck by a Russian drone while rescuing a group of stranded dogs from near the frontline.
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car → say → frontline
Ruslan Horbal, a volunteer for Animal Rescue Kharkiv (ARK), was on a rescue mission in Ukraine’s war-torn eastern city of Kramatorsk, when a Russian drone hit the vehicle, killing one of the rescued dogs.
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drone → tear → dogs
He had only just gathered the animals into the back of the car when the attack took place.
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attack → gather → place
“It happened very fast.
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It → happen → ?
There was an explosion, smoke and glass everywhere,” recalls Mr Horbal, who was hospitalised after the attack, in an interview with The Independent.
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who → be → Independent
“At first, I was confused.
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I → confuse → ?
It took me a moment to understand what had happened.
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what → take → moment
Then I started checking if everyone was alive and if the animals were OK.
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animals → start → ?
That’s when I realised I was badly injured too.
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I → ’ → ?
Mr Horbal, 43, says he and a French volunteer, called Florian, are lucky to be alive after being severely injured in the drone attack on Kramatorsk, one of the most heavily-bombarded Ukrainian cities in the eastern Donetsk region.
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he → say → region
Florian was badly injured in the arm and eye, while Mr Horbal suffered wounds to his eye and ear.
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Horbal → injure → eye
He was pulled from the vehicle by Mr Horbal, who applied a tourniquet on his arm, before urgently changing the car’s damaged tire and driving them to a hospital in Kramatorsk.
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who → pull → Kramatorsk
Both required surgery after the strike on 31 August.
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Both → require → August
The ARK, which is financially supported by PETA, has brought more than 32,500 animals in Ukraine to safety since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
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Moscow → support → February
The work is extremely dangerous, with volunteers weaving in between missiles, drones and shelling as they seek out stranded animals who are trapped in frontline areas from which civilians have fled.
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civilians → weave → which
“Of course, we are afraid,” he says.
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he → say → ?
We know the danger.
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We → know → danger
They cannot understand the war, and they cannot get themselves to safety.
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they → understand → safety
So we go and get them.
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we → go → them
“The drones are especially dangerous because they can see our vehicles from above, and sometimes you have almost no warning.
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you → see → warning
We are always listening, always watching the sky.”
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We → listen → sky
He adds: “I know how lucky we were.
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we → add → ?
But I also know there are still animals near the front line who need us.”
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who → know → us
The Kharkiv and Donetsk regions are among the deadliest regions in Ukraine, coming under heavy, sustained Russian bombardments.
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regions → come → bombardments
It can take hours for volunteers to reach the animals stuck near the frontline, many of which are struggling to feed themselves and are accustomed to having human companionship - but are now left stranded under intense bombardment.
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many → take → bombardment
The rescue teams go into some of the worst hit areas to help the animals, usually finding them “alone, hungry, injured and frightened”.
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them → go → animals
Rescuers bring food and supplies for many animals while evacuating the most vulnerable, bringing them to safer areas and providing them with veterinary care before either reuniting them with their families or finding them a new home.
“
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Rescuers → bring → home
I’m grateful to be alive, and very thankful for all the messages and support.
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I → ’m → messages
I’m still recovering.
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I → recover → ?
I need more treatment and surgery, so for now I have to focus on getting better,” Mr Horbal adds.
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Horbal → need → treatment
But the death of one of the dogs that was rescued, he said, was difficult for the team to process.
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team → rescue → dogs
“Sadly, one of the dogs we had just rescued was killed.
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we → rescue → dogs
We had gone there to bring him to safety, and then this happened.
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this → go → safety
The other animals survived and were taken to safety.”
Despite the incredible dangers, Mr Horbal has no intention of stepping away from his role and says that once he is recovered he will return.
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he → survive → role
“I don’t know exactly when, but I will go back.
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I → know → ?
I have seen what happens to animals left behind – alone, starving and frightened,” he adds.
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he → see → animals
“Knowing they are still out there, waiting for help, I cannot just stay home.”
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I → know → help
