A 90-year-old woman was evacuated from a village near the front lines following constant shelling
Ukrainian troops carried out a complex evacuation of 90-year-old Oleksandra Demydivna from a village near the front lines that was under constant Russian shelling. The woman had long refused to leave her home, but eventually asked for help herself when the situation became critical. The operation had to be carried out under constant threat from the air.
Soldiers from the 21st Separate Mechanized Brigade evacuated 90-year-old Oleksandra Demydivna from a frontline village that was being increasingly destroyed by Russian strikes with each passing day, and where remaining had become virtually life-threatening. Despite the evacuation order, the woman refused to leave her home for a long time, continued to tend to her household, and remained the last resident to hold on to her native land until the very end.
Soldiers visited her repeatedly, bringing food and water and trying to convince her to leave, but she only changed her mind when the shelling began destroying nearby houses and the threat became immediate. At a certain point, Oleksandra Demydivna herself approached the soldiers with a request for evacuation, realizing that staying any longer meant risking her life every day.
The rescue operation proved to be complex and required careful planning, as the area was under constant surveillance by enemy drones and artillery, and any movement could be detected. As an officer from the 21st Mechanized Brigade with the call sign “Apollo” explained, “The chief of staff planned everything, and the troops were organized. The evacuation was carried out at night, when the opportunity arose. Enemy aircraft were very active: KABs, ‘Molniyas,’ and FPV drones.”
Despite the difficult conditions and the constant threat from the air, the soldiers managed to safely extract the woman and transport her to a safer location, where she received the necessary assistance and protection. The brigade emphasizes that such operations are becoming increasingly risky, as every day of delay in frontline villages complicates the evacuation for both civilians and the military personnel carrying it out.
The command of the 21st Mechanized Brigade has once again appealed to residents of frontline areas, urging them not to delay their departure, as the security situation is rapidly deteriorating and opportunities for rescue could disappear at any moment.
