The Dog Helper Of The Donbas

Yevhen Dubovikov (pictured) is from Syevyerodonetsk, a city in Ukraine's Luhansk region that was captured by Russian forces in June 2022.

Since evacuating from his hometown and resettling in Dnipro with his mother and his beloved dog last spring, the 36-year-old has clocked up more than 100,000 kilometers delivering aid to the animal and human populations of eastern Ukraine's war-ravaged towns and villages. 

The view from the window of Dubovikov's minivan in a war-damaged Ukrainian settlement. 

The volunteer departs from his base in Dnipro around once every week, taking about 600 kilograms of supplies for each trip. The aid runs are paid for from donations and Dubovikov's own pocket. 

 

As well as feeding those animals he sees himself, Dubovikov says "my task is to find people who feed stray animals in every settlement and I leave them food."

In many villages recaptured from Russian forces it's not possible to buy food for animals or people. 

A local man in a settlement near the fighting in eastern Ukraine. 

Dubovikov also delivers supplies to soldiers and locals in need. "We're looking for pensioners who have no one, and low-income families," he says. 

 

Dubovikov speaks with locals at a Donbas settlement.

The volunteer says trying to convince to people to leave towns in imminent danger from the Russian invasion is largely pointless. "People don't leave. Everyone has their own reason. It's largely elderly people who say: 'We were born here, we'll die here,'" the volunteer says. 

The devastated village of Bohorodychne, in Ukraine's Donetsk region. The settlement was occupied for months by Russian forces before being recaptured, nearly completely destroyed, in September. 

 

Dubovikov (wearing an orange hood) speaks with locals in Bohorodychne. 

The volunteer has made several delivery runs to Bohorodychne, where just five people now live. Around 50 animals are currently struggling to survive winter in the village. 

A blind dog in the ruins of a school in Bohorodychne. 

"During cold snaps it is much more difficult for animals to survive than humans," Dubovikov says. "People have some reserves, they will manage somehow, but domestic animals are not accustomed to finding their own food."

A cat stands on frozen ground in Bohorodychne. 

Many animals now on the streets in eastern Ukraine are pets that their owners chose, or were forced to, abandon as the human population of the Donbas largely fled west. 

Colleagues of Dubovikov who evacuate animals from war-affected towns. 

The volunteer and his colleagues also remove animals from settlements where there is active fighting. Dubovikov has a shelter in Dnipro, where animals are taken for treatment and care, then adopted out where possible. 

 

Dubovikov delivers aid to soldiers in eastern Ukraine. 

The volunteer told RFE/RL that as long as the war continues "everyone should do what they can to help," adding, "not everyone knows how to fight." After each delivery run, Dubovikov says, "there's a sense of participation, you feel needed and worthwhile in this world."