Story Highlights
- A 98-year-old woman from Ukraine, Lidia Stepanivna, recounted her remarkable journey amid heavy shelling.
- Using sticks for support and sleeping on the ground, she traversed 10 kilometers to reach areas controlled by Kyiv.
- Despite facing major risks, she persisted, drawing parallels between the current conflict and World War Two.
Lidia Stepanivna’s Journey
In a video shared by Ukraine’s police on social media, Lidia Stepanivna shared her harrowing experience of walking out of the occupied part of Ocheretyne in Donetsk, now under Russian occupation. She recounted how she walked without food or water, enduring multiple falls, to reach safety.
Originally from Ocheretyne, she expressed her determination to leave the area controlled by Russian forces and make her way to areas under Kyiv’s control.
Despite the ongoing conflict and the dangers she faced, Stepanivna bravely continued her journey, emphasizing her resilience by stating, “I survived that war (World War Two), and I am surviving this war.”
Current Situation
Lidia Stepanivna highlighted the stark differences between the current conflict in Ukraine and World War Two, noting the destruction of homes and uprooting of trees.
Ukraine’s interior ministry reported that the woman was discovered by the military and handed over to the police, who then took her to a shelter for evacuees. Efforts are underway to locate her relatives.
Impact of the Conflict
The ongoing war in Ukraine, now in its third year with no end in sight, has resulted in the loss of thousands of lives, extensive damage to communities, and the displacement of millions of people.