Odesa divers rescue over 100 people in Kherson region in two weeks

Over the course of two weeks of work following the explosion of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Station by Russian occupiers, Odessa divers have saved more than 100 residents of the Kherson region. Denis Leshchik, a diver and rescuer in the diving and rescue unit of the special-purpose emergency and rescue team of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in the Odessa region, announced this on July 21 at a briefing held at the Ukraine Media Center Odessa.

The main task of the rescuers is to travel by boat to the flooded buildings, retrieve people from there, and transport them to safe places where they were met by hospital staff, police officers, volunteers, and State Emergency Service workers.

"There were shelling attacks, but we didn't come to be frightened; we came to save lives. People brought with them only their pets, money, and documents; they didn't even take their clothing. I remember having to carry an elderly woman down from the ninth floor. It was emotionally challenging, but we managed. We saved many animals and people, approximately 100 people, but we intentionally didn't keep a count," Denis Leshchik said.

In addition to people, Odessa divers also rescued animals. However, this was a difficult task for rescuers because the animals were greatly frightened due to the Russian terrorist act at the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Station.