Marik’s story demonstrates how Ukrainian soldiers fight to defend those they love

Marik is a blind, stray dog in Ukraine. As such, his chances of surviving long were tiny. Life can be tough for anyone who is blind. Let alone a stray dog.

Marik would not have lasted long, given the increased competition for scarce food and water as a stray and the added risk of being in an active war zone.

Yet soldiers posted in the city of Zaporizhzhia in Ukraine found Marik, recognised his condition, and fed and cared for him. Marik is a loving, fun young dog, and the soldiers shared Marik’s care amongst themselves.

These soldiers are actively fighting a war and are dedicated to saving their country from invading Russians. Always on high alert and living in fear for their own lives. Yet these soldiers still found the love and compassion to care for a blind, stray dog.

After some time, the soldiers were redeployed to another location. However, they could not leave Marik alone as they left. They took him to Irina, who runs the animal rescue shelter in Zaporizhzhia. He is safe there now; he lives there because his condition makes it too hard to adopt him out.

Soldiers made a video about Marik asking Irina to care for him

Once the soldiers had formed a bond with Irina, they visited regularly with stray pets they had rescued from the front line. Dogs and cats who would almost certainly die if left to roam in the centre of conflict.

And this, in a nutshell, is a shining example of who Ukraine soldiers are. They are not career soldiers like the invading Russians. They could not be more different. Ukrainian soldiers are defending the country, the people and the animals that they love.

Recently, the soldier who took Marik to Irina’s shelter more than two years ago returned to the area. And so he made time to visit Marik and see how he is. The people of Ukraine are desperate for their lives to return to normal. Desperate for the war to end. Desperate to be able to love their dogs and cats once again.