On a wheelchair through 5 countries: 80-year-old woman who refused to obtain Russian passport returns from occupied territories

Antonina, an 80-year-old woman who could not evacuate from a temporarily occupied village in Donetsk Oblast due to health problems, has been brought back to Ukraine-controlled territories. The woman's journey home took her through five countries, said Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman). Antonina's daughter turned to the Ombudsman's Office with a request to help bring back her mother.

She said that Antonina was unable to move independently, and thus unable to evacuate.

There were no relatives or friends left to take care of her. Antonina refused to obtain a Russian-issued passport, which left her without a pension, her daughter said. The elderly woman was taken out by volunteers who had purchased a wheelchair and walker for her.

Antonina left her home in the occupied village on 24 January. "The woman's route passed through the temporarily occupied territory of Donetsk Oblast and the territories of Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland," said Dmytro Lubinets. He added that on 4 February Antonina met her daughter in Lviv.

They are currently in Kyiv.

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