An aid worker was shot dead by a Russian “death squad” as she delivered food to a local dog shelter, after refusing to evacuate so she could save the animals.
Anastasiia Yalanskaya, a 26-year-old recruiter, was slaughtered on Thursday alongside two other volunteers, as they took the supplies to a dog shelter in Bucha, 18 miles outside of Kyiv.
Her family said the three volunteers had been targeted in their car at close range by Putin’s men.
They claimed troops were now killing civilians at random, in an attempt to weaken the resistance to the Russian regime and instil fear into the Ukrainian community.
Anastasiia had turned down offers to flee the conflict, instead staying behind to lend a hand to rescue centres caring for animals, reports The Times.
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Her estranged husband, Yevhen, told the New York Post that he had asked his wife to be “extra cautious”.
Despite this, she had been focused on helping everyone around her, he said.
She had not listened to his pleas to think about evacuation.
Yevhen said it was “very painful” to have not been able to help her last journey.
"She was one of the best human beings I knew,” he said.
“She was committed to help, to help her friends and relatives and whoever needed help.
"She loved animals. We had a dog and a cat. She was the best partner I ever had."
Russian militants were said to have swarmed Anastasiia’s vehicle before firing a hail of bullets.
Her best friend, Anastasiia Hryshchenko, raised the alarm after she hadn't heard from her pal for several hours.
Anastasiia’s car was covered in bullets when it was found close to her home, Ms Hryshchenko said.
Prior to her slaughter, the aid worker had been sharing her experience of the conflict on Instagram, with her last story posted on March 3 showing her sitting in the back of a car, surrounded by bags of dog food.
The death is another reminder of the real cost of Putin’s war to the people of Ukraine.
It comes amid reports that Russia has lost control of a key city, after it was re-captured by Ukrainian forces.
As the invasion enters its 12th day, UK defence officials believe Russian troops have made minimal gains over the last 48 hours - and Putin's troops were pushed out of Chuhuiv.
But there are fears the 'humanitarian corridors' - set up to help refugees flee the fighting - are simply a way for Russia to manipulate the situation with the corridors forcing them to exit through Belarus or Russia.
Vladimir Putin 's troops have been attempting to advance towards the capital city for days but ground to a halt as the Ukrainian resistance hit supply lines.
Now, Ukrainian commanders are warning that Russian troops are re-grouping and beginning "to accumulate resources to storm Kyiv”.
It comes as Ukrainian President Vlodomyr Zelensky vows revenge after photos of a fleeing family lying dead in the street as Russian forces shelled Irpin shocked the world.
