Sooo.. here is an unusually cute story from our day of reporting around #Bakhmut ! We found a baby hedgehog that was dehydrated and dying at the worst place possible in Chassiv Yar ...
At the bottom of the bottom of a crater from a Russian shelling...We tried to give him some water but weren't very successful...and discovered he also had a head injury too..he didn't look at his best tbh but still he was sooo cute ! SOUND ON
As he weren't reacting too much.. we decided to take him with us to base. Located 10 km from Bakhmut, Chassiv Yar is proper hell these days. We found an ammunition old box...recreated some sort of grass environment and took him at the back of our car
He was sort of loving it ! Being very active at the back ! But very quick he fell asleep and seemed to be not waking up ? Is that possible at this time in the year?
So at first we had no clue what a (baby?) hedgehog is eating - so at first we built some sort of little cabin for him outside, gave him apple and water but he was completely unresponsive but still breathing while sleeping !
We couldn't stand to leave him outside so obviously very soon we put him inside and started googling what baby hedgehogs need and eat - a little stop by the garden was needed to find some insects and worms !
Now the question was how to give him water, no feeding bottle at the horizon but multiple first aid kits and medical equipment so we improvised some sort of feeding bottle !
However it's a bit of a struggle to feed him.. he seems to want to hibernate or sleep? Is this possible? We caught a few spiders, worms and firebugs. Is that all ok ? Any advice on how to feed him? So far he's not reacting when we put them around his mouth/nose...
In the meantime, it's sleep time ! although it seems he/she's sleeping all the time anyways). I've put the kettle on and filled up a little bottle of water and put next to him wrapped in kitchen roll. He is cuddling with it right now!
Hopefully he makes the night ! Tomorrow we'll check if it's a boy or girl and will come up with a name. Open to suggestions ! Thanks for reading and good night ! 🦔🦔🦔
Thank you all for the tips and advices ! And in particular to @ErinaceusFrance who called me this morning and told me everything I needed to know ! First munch for LUCK the 🦔 who can’t get enough of this delicious cat food !
Amid this cute story don’t forget there is a bloody war going on and millions of people are displaced - help by donating to NGOs such as @DRC_ngo or @NRC_Norway / and if you love animals @UAnimalsENG of course #ukraine#donation
For the most curious, 'Luck the 🦔' is feeeeeling much better now! he's already left his little bed and is going round sniffing for food and trying to hide wherever he sees an opening ! #Ukraine#hedgehogtale
Sooo people, we wanted to test #Lucky in the garden so he doesn't lose his (wildness) reflexes and to see if he can feed find food himself as we discovered that his right eye was in a pretty bad shape...He was all shaky, slow and all.. #POV
Our little doggie Sausage unilaterally wanted to be befriend him, at a safe distance obviously from his spines but #Lucky wasn't impressed. We were worried the little spiny thing won't be able to find food..it was walking erratically and very slowly.. but we left him exploring...
A few hours later, the boy came back to the house, full of energy - running and sniffing everywhere ! Probably to say thanks and goodbye ? 🥲🥲🥲
Immediately after, the leaves of our garden were dancing while #Lucky was finding his way to the more interesting places of the garden ! Still with that newly found energy ! 😎😎😎
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY finding food by himself. He might be missing his right eye but the guy has a good nose ! We'll leave him there.. keep an eye for him, but this does seem like a goodbye now... Goodbye and good luck, Lucky ! 🥺Thanks for being a good pal🦔🦔🦔 THE END 💕💕💕
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#AFP Yesterday, we spent the day with a Ukrainian unit of Mi-8 helicopters at a secret base. Difficult to put in words their mission, the danger and the courage of these young pilots who play an essential role in the long-running battle for Bakhmut. So 🧶 it is !
"When we are 6,200 metres from the target, we rear up 20 degrees ... then we launch the rockets, 15 each side," Petro, 23, the pilot. After unleashing their rockets, the helicopter banks sharply and returns to base, skimming the ground. SOUND ON !!!
"The hardest thing is the preparation, taking a decision on what to do during the flight, what direction to take towards the target, because we do not know the countryside before the flight, we can be sure of nothing. But fear does not enter into the attack" he says
#AFP Yesterday, we tried to get as close as possible of the main bridge of Bakhmut as the city is being constantly shelled. Special forces running the street. North, east and sout part of the city seem like artillery hell on earth. Sound on !
The river that splits Bakhmut in two has become a key dividing line in the fighting. People living on the eastern bank, risk their life every day to get water, woods or reach one of the humanitarian centers for a hot meal, or some precious internet
Just about to cross the bridge on her daily trip to get water and/or wood, Natalia, 75, says she spends so long taking cover in her basement that she feels "like a mole" as she steps out into the light and her eyes adjust, "how could I leave?"
#SOLEDAR Situation on the ground. Very bad visibility, snowing, near Soledar but constant shelling is heard. Ukrainian soldiers digging trenches on high position nearby while artillery from both sides are working full power #afp#ukraine#bakhmut
Wounded soldiers are being evacuated from around Soledar. Bloodied helmets, bullet-proof vests and pieces of uniform are discarded on the side of the road from when they were cut from the bodies of the wounded and dead #afp#ukraine#soledar#bakhmut
The medics tell us there is 'no easy situations here', and when an ambulance arrives, they triage and transfer the wounded to another ambulance to be taken to a stabilisation point and then on to a hospital #afp#ukraine#soledar#bakhmut