On March 12, 2022, Arina Pervunina’s father, 35-year-old Odessa resident Andrii Pervunin, tried to take his son, daughter and two nephews away from the occupied Kherson Oblast. The car came under fire. 17 bullets were fired at Andrii. The four children were wounded. Their dog, Hlasha, covered Arina’s 7-year-old brother Matvii with its body. It saved the boy’s life, but died on the spot. 

On the first day of the full-scale war, Arina’s parents sent their children to stay with their relatives in the village. They thought it would be safer there. A few days later the village was occupied. The children were absolutely terrified. They called their parents and asked them to take them away. Andrii drove there immediately.  

A short drive from Snihyrivka, the car was shot.

The occupants stopped another car, which was moving to territory controlled by Ukraine. Arina begged that they let her wounded dad go with them. At the Ukrainian checkpoint, the children were given first aid and an ambulance was called. The doctors were unable to save Andrii Pervunin...