Ukrainian Powerlifter Saves Animals Amid Russian Air Strikes

Anna Kurkurina plays with Jack, a dog injured by shelling, and her cat Peach. The former world champion powerlifter devotes her free time to rescuing stray animals near her home in Mykolayiv, in southern Ukraine. Russian missile attacks not only injured and killed residents but also many of their pets.

Some of the strays Kurkurina finds are on the streets of Mykolayiv, while others were rescued from settlements that were shattered by Russian shelling.

A former high-school biology teacher, Kukurina became interested in powerlifting at the age of 40. At the age of 46, she became a world champion powerlifter.  

 

Kurkurina chronicles her work rescuing animals and the often horrific situations in which she finds them and their owners on Instagram, where she has amassed over 300,000 followers. 

 

In addition to raising money and awareness via her social media channels, Kurkurina utilizes her lifting skills to carry heavy bags of food to places such as a cemetery where she feeds stray animals.

 

A stray dog hesitantly approaches Kurkurina as she patiently holds out food. 

Dogs at a landfill happily greet her upon her arrival.

Kurkurina prepares food for her dogs and cats. As well as helping animals, she also helps aid groups deliver food to people in areas that are otherwise hard to reach due to fighting.

Jack's leg was shattered by shelling, but he's now slowly on the mend -- aided by Kurkurina's devotion.