Final resident of Mala Tokmachka reaches safety after months of isolation

Svitlana Podolska, a 64-year-old woman, has finally been evacuated from the village of Mala Tokmachka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. She was the last remaining resident of the settlement, having spent the previous five months in the company of Ukrainian soldiers before reaching safer territory.

Podolska had remained in her home for as long as possible, hoping the conflict would end soon. She continued to tend to her vegetable garden and care for her livestock, which included a pig, goats, and chickens. Her decision to leave was precipitated by a tragic event on April 10, when a Russian drone killed the last male resident of the village. The man had stepped outside to look for cigarettes when he was struck by the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Following that incident, Podolska was left completely alone. Her property came under attack from Russian drones on seven separate occasions. Despite the repeated dangers, she resisted the urge to evacuate until her house was completely destroyed. At that point, she turned to the Ukrainian military for assistance in leaving the area.

The evacuation process was significantly delayed by challenging conditions. Military vehicles were unable to reach her location due to mined roads, adverse weather, and a high volume of Russian drones. It was not until late September, when morning fogs began to settle over the Tavriia steppes, that the group initiated the final leg of the journey on foot.

Podolska traveled with four soldiers from the 118th Separate Mechanised Brigade and two dogs. The soldiers, identified as Viking, Stef, Sichen, and Viktor, spent nearly a month covering the dangerous route with her. To minimize their visibility to enemy drones, the group moved in short bursts and traveled primarily at dusk.

The journey required the group to cross a river by swimming on three separate occasions. Podolska recalled being particularly concerned during these crossings, fearing that one of the soldiers, Viktor, might drown while carrying her and his body armor. She noted that he had to rescue her when she became tangled in underwater wire during one of the crossings.

"I was very worried about becoming a burden to them, about letting them down," Podolska shared. "I still don't know how I survived it and made it there." She described the bond formed during the trek, stating that she and the soldiers had become like family to one another.

The group successfully reached safety on October 21. Podolska is now staying with her daughter. Soldiers from the 1st Mechanised Battalion of the 118th Brigade assisted her in securing rental accommodation for her new home.

This evacuation follows a similar report from earlier this year regarding an 84-year-old resident of Kherson. That man had lived in isolation for six months due to Russian attacks and eventually walked six kilometers to escape the city.