What Butcha is to the public worldwide, Lukijanivka is to a small equestrian scene. On 24th March 2022, a month after the Russian invasion, a projectile hit the Winged Mustang stable of dressage rider Victoria Balyura in the small town near Kyiv. In a video she shared on YouTube, the world witnessed images that will stay in her mind for the rest of her life. "That’s Olympus, that’s Basalt, and this is Charoit," you hear her shocked voice speak in the background. The animals are beneath rubble, burnt.
The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food in Ukraine states that the number of horses in the country dropped by 20 percent alone in the years of war between 2022 and 2023. In Russian occupied territory and wherever military operations are taking place, almost half of horses that lived there are dead. Today, only 145,000 animals remain in a 600 square kilometer area of land.
One Million Swiss Francs in First Aid
At the beginning of every conflict, there’s great interest and willingness to help. Within days of the invasion, the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) provided an aid fund of one million Swiss francs. National associations and companies were also involved. Within days, the Ukrainian Equestrian Charity Foundation was formed, which organized and coordinated aid on the ground. It supplied hay to the most affected regions, helped relocate horses to safer areas, and sent veterinary medical aid. Their website is now dormant; the last message posted in February 2023. Many have fled abroad and started new lives. For others, the war has become a terrible part of day-to-day life.
Valeriia and Anastasia both live in Kharkiv, a city of millions in the east of the country that once brilliantly hosted the UEFA European Football Championship, and which is currently suffering the brunt of Russian attacks. There are injuries and deaths almost every day.
Valeriia has worked with horses since she was a child. Her parents gave her her first pony when she was 12: Rada. Her passion for riding endured. Now 32-years-old, she held a responsible position at an eco-park with stables for 50 horses. She was absorbed in her work, organizing summer camps, shows, trail rides, and running hippotherapy sessions. The stables had a social focus. She is particularly proud of founding the first centre for non-Olympic equestrian sport in Ukraine, and a rehabilitation centre for horses with psychological and physical injuries. They were brought to Kharkiv from the neighbouring regions that were engulfed in war since 2014.
Anastasya, or Nastya as everyone calls her, was also born in Kharkiv. Now and then she went horse-riding and met up with her friends there, such as Valeriia. Those days, she says, feel like a bygone age to her. "We all had plans, dreams, a daily routine. None of that exists anymore." In the life that no longer exists, Nastya and her husband were dog trainers.
„People always think that death is the worst thing that can happen, but it’s not.“
Valeriia and Nastya experienced the day of the attack separately. Until it happened, both had hoped that such horror would not be possible in our day and age. With the first explosions came violent flashes of light. Panic spread. Valeriia remembers her most urgent thought was to get to the petrol station. Without petrol, she wouldn’t be able to drive to the stable. The queue at the pumps was long. There was panic. It was the same at the supermarkets. Many people were fleeing by car and leaving everything behind - including their animals. Of all the park's employees, only Valeriia, the director of the children's theatre, and a single horse groom stayed behind. "I admire their bravery," says Valeriia, "but I also understood why others acted differently." Under fire, the three of them brought the horses to safety, risking their lives. Meanwhile, Nastya and her husband rounded up abandoned and distraught dogs and cats from the streets.
Valeriia wants to bring her horses to safety. But she first has to wait for the military's approval. This is because the eco-park is located in a gray zone - a buffer between Russian and Ukrainian positions. When the OK comes, the three of them take their horses to an old stable in the forest, under fire and at risk of their lives. Valeriia and her horses stayed there for a total of one month. Without electricity. Without communication devices. Without rest. With only a dwindling supply of food and drinking water. Surrounded by the enemy and under constant fire. "People always think that death is the worst thing that can happen, but it’s not," she says, before continuing: "It's hard on the psyche to have to make decisions again and again, over a long period, that could cost a human or an animal their life." She doesn't go into any more detail.
As the impacts drew closer, and the animals became more and more agitated, Anastasya and her husband also decided to flee. It was about 200 kilometres as the crow flies between them and the front. Bilyky is a community of 4,000 southwest of their former home. They moved into a house which had land. Friends from the stables turned to her, including Valeriia, who asked whether she could take on horses, too. She agreed.
„The horses sense that this is their only chance.“
Organizing an evacuation is a frightening experience. The horses and dogs sensed that something was in the air. Transporters often had to cancel at the last minute. On top of enormous psychological stress, there was physical strain. This made bringing the older horses and ponies to safety really difficult – animals that are particularly dear to Nastya and Valeriia. "Despite the drama, many horses remained completely calm, as though they knew that trusting the rescuers was their only hope," Nastya remembers.
Among her charges are horses saved at the last minute from the slaughterhouse. They are not one-offs. It’s usually impossible for fleeing owners to take their horses with them. But to leave them behind, to leave them to their fate, doesn’t seem to be an option either. Choosing every little thing to take is vital during flight. That’s why so many must make this terrible decision.
„We wouldn't know where else to flee.“
For Nastya and her husband, it was no small matter to take in horses and look after them. They even had to build a stable. Valeriia also left two of her horses with Nastya. For now, everyone’s managed. The horses enjoy space to run and have enough to eat. And yet she fears the war will spread to this region, too. "I wouldn't know where we would run to then," she says.
