On the night of 6-7 September, Russian kamikaze drones struck the stables of the Endurance Horse Sport Club owned by endurance rider Yuliia Tolpyha. Seven horses were killed, including the champion Malakhita, Ra-Nazran, an Arabian stallion, and his son Ra-Marsel, Freili, a mare who was rescued from Bucha in 2022, Bosfor, a racehorse, and Ars.

Source: Ukrainian Equestrian Federation on Facebook

Quote from the federation: "Malakhita had been due to compete in the Ukrainian Championship in the junior category in three weeks’ time. Today her young owner buried her – along with her dreams. Another incurable wound for the child’s soul…

Yuliia walks among the mutilated bodies of her beloved horses. They were her life. ‘They are gone…’ is all she can whisper with a trembling voice.

The black beauty Ra-Nazran, a purebred Arabian stallion, an international champion… Ra-Marsel lies not far away. He was still a foal, with a baby coat that was yet to turn grey…

Bosfor was the club’s most promising racehorse… Two other horses lay in a pool of blood next to Bosfor."

“The horses tried to escape, breaking through the fences”

Rider Anna Pysarenko, who looked after Freili, shared her memories on Facebook.

“My little chestnut Freili is gone. She and six other beautiful sport horses were killed by Russian Shaheds last night,” she said. “Fortunately, all the people survived. I just cannot write ‘No people were injured’… because we know how it feels when a Shahed flies over you and explodes.”

During the occupation of the town of Bucha in Kyiv Oblast, the Russians killed several horses from the stables of the Bucha Equestrian Sports Club, but Freili survived. Later she gave birth to a foal, Sofiko, who stayed with the owners, while Freili was moved to the Endurance Horse Sport Club.

“During the Bucha occupation we all feared for her –  and with good reason. The Russians moved into the stables, stole everything they could, and shot several horses,” said Oksana Savchenko, a friend of Anna Pysarenko. “After Bucha was liberated, Anna spent a month searching for Freili. She found her – together with a stallion and a pony, Koketka. They had survived together, wandering through minefields and scavenging whatever they could. And there was a surprise: Freili was pregnant.”

Oksana said the seven horses were killed by three Russian drones. Two Shaheds injured and frightened the animals, while the third strike was fatal. According to the local authorities, only two horses survived – Holi and Manuel.

Background:

On the night of 6-7 September, during Russia’s large-scale attack, three people were killed in Kyiv, including a mother and her two-month-old baby. A pregnant woman was also injured – doctors are fighting to save her and her newborn baby. An 18-year-old woman was injured in Kyiv Oblast.The city of Zaporizhzhia, Poltava Oblast (including Kremenchuk), Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and other oblasts also came under heavy Russian attack. In Kupiansk, a six-year-old child was injured.

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