A Ukrainian animal rescuer was seriously injured when a Russian drone struck his vehicle while he was evacuating stranded dogs near the frontline in Kramatorsk, according to an interview with The Independent. Ruslan Horbal, a volunteer with Animal Rescue Kharkiv (ARK), was on a mission to rescue a group of dogs when the attack happened. The incident occurred quickly, with an explosion, smoke, and broken glass. Horbal checked on the animals and realized he was badly injured, with wounds to his eye and ear. A French volunteer, identified as Florian, was also hurt, suffering wounds to his arm and eye. Horbal applied a tourniquet to Florian’s arm and drove them to a hospital in Kramatorsk after changing the car's damaged tire. Both required surgery following the strike on 31 August. ARK, a volunteer organization financially supported by PETA, has rescued more than 32,500 animals in Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. The work is extremely dangerous, with volunteers navigating areas under constant threat from missiles, drones, and shelling to find stranded animals. Horbal acknowledged the risks but emphasized the need to help animals that cannot understand or escape the war. He noted that drones are particularly dangerous because they can detect vehicles from above, often providing little warning. The Kharkiv and Donetsk regions are among the deadliest in Ukraine, experiencing heavy Russian bombardment. Volunteers often take hours to reach animals stranded near the frontline, many of which are struggling to survive without human companionship. Rescuers typically find the animals alone, hungry, injured, and frightened. They provide food and supplies, evacuate the most vulnerable, and offer veterinary care before reuniting them with their families or finding them new homes. Horbal expressed gratitude for being alive and for the support he has received, though he still requires further treatment and surgery. He also noted the difficulty of losing one of the dogs they had just rescued, which was killed in the attack. Despite the dangers, Horbal has no intention of stepping away from his role and plans to return once he recovers.