Volunteer animal rescuer badly wounded by Russian drone while saving dogs in Kramatorsk

During a rescue operation in the war-torn eastern city of Kramatorsk, Ruslan Horbal, a 43-year-old volunteer for Animal Rescue Kharkiv, had his car hit by a Russian drone while transporting a group of stray dogs rescued from the frontline. The explosion killed one of the dogs and left Horbal with wounds to his eye and ear, while his French colleague, Florian, suffered severe injuries to his arm and eye. Both men applied emergency first aid, changed the damaged tire and drove themselves to a hospital, where they later underwent surgery.

The incident highlights the extreme risks faced by animal-rescue volunteers who navigate missile- and drone-laden zones to save stranded animals. Since Russia’s invasion, Animal Rescue Kharkiv, supported by PETA, has saved over 32,500 animals, but volunteers continue to operate under constant threat. Horbal expressed gratitude for surviving and pledged to resume his work once he recovers.