A young Ukrainian volunteer, who decided to stay in the country despite the war, was killed by Russian soldiers while bringing food to a dog shelter.
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Anastasia Yalanskaya decided to remain in Kyiv, despite the departure of her family and friends in the face of advancing Russian forces.
While delivering food to a dog shelter about 30 kilometers from Kyiv, his car was targeted by Russian forces. She was accompanied by two other volunteers who also died.
Her friends and family do not understand why Anastasia was targeted, but they believe that the Russians are increasingly targeting civilians to spread fear among the population.
“I told him to be very careful. Just one small mistake can be very costly these days,” says her husband.
It was one of her friends, alerted by the lack of news from Anastasia, who asked an acquaintance to check her condition.
The man reported that he found the young woman’s car and the three bodies inside. The witness said that the car was full of projectiles fired from nearby places.
“She just finished her baby and was about to go home,” her friend says.
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Anastasia has been documenting her days.
In the days before her death, she had assisted in a day care center where about forty children were held. She had brought food and diapers. She also helped a military hospital in the Kyiv region.
She described herself as proud to be Ukrainian.
“She was such a good person, she was always trying to help everyone, and you couldn’t help her,” her husband says.
