<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/30/ukrainian-woman-98-walks-six-miles-alone-to-escape-russian-held-territory>
"A 98-year-old woman who escaped Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine by using
a cane to walk six miles in a pair of slippers has been reunited with her
family, days after they were separated while escaping to safety.
Lidia Stepanivna Lomikovska and her family decided to leave the frontline town
of Ocheretyne, in the eastern Donetsk region, after Russian troops entered it
last week and fighting intensified.
Russians have been advancing in the area, pounding Ukraine’s depleted and
ammunition-deprived forces with artillery, drones and bombs.
“I woke up surrounded by shooting all around – so scary,” Lomikovska said in a
video interview posted by Donetsk police.
In the chaos of the departure, Lomikovska became separated from her son and two
daughters-in-law, including one who was injured by shrapnel days earlier. The
younger family members took to back routes but Lydia wanted to stay on the main
road.
With a cane in one hand and steadying herself with a splintered piece of wood
in the other, Lomikovska walked all day without food or water to reach
Ukrainian lines.
Lomikovska said she fell twice and had to stop to rest sometimes, even having a
sleep at one point before continuing her journey.
“Once I lost balance and fell into weeds. I fell asleep … a little and
continued walking. And then, for the second time, again, I fell. But then I got
up and thought to myself, I need to keep walking, bit by bit,” Lomikovska
said."
Via Susan ****
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
