Dr. Olena ‘Leleka’ Yeryomenko, a Ukrainian combat medic, was killed on June 29 while rescuing 42 dogs and a wounded soldier. Her sacrafice is now being honored by international animal rights organisation PETA with a white rose bush and memorial plaque in the Bea Arthur Dog Park in Norfolk, Virginia.
Leleka has formerly worked with PETA Germany and its partner Animal Rescue Kharkiv (ARK) to evacuate wounded and starving animals out of the war zone for veterinary care and adoption to safe homes.
In her missions to rescue the animals of Ukraine, the fallen veteran visited some of the most dangerous combat zones near the Russian border, including Avdiivka and Sumy, according to PETA.
It was during a mission in Sumy that she was killed.
'Beacon of light'
Before her death, she had told soldiers “Until I leave food for every animal, we won’t go further.”
“Olena risked everything she had to help everyone she could, including the dogs she coaxed out of shelled buildings and the cats she gently escorted to safety,” says PETA Director Rachel Bellis shared. “She was a beacon of compassion, and everyone here at PETA will remember her for her bravery and kindness.”