President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the Vlasenko family, who came under fire from the occupiers during the evacuation from the town of Vorzel in the Kyiv region, in hospital.
This was reported by the press service of the President's Office.
"These Ukrainians heroically defended each other with their bodies, thanks to which the family managed to survive," – the press service.
The Vlasenkos moved to the Kyiv region from the Crimea after the beginning of the Russian occupation of the peninsula, as they did not want to get Russian citizenship.
When Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the family decided to leave Vorzel for a safer place, but their car came under enemy fire.
Then the eldest 16-year-old daughter Katya shielded her younger 8-year-old brother Ihor with her body and sustained significant wounds. Seeing his sister bleeding, Ihor got out of the car and started shouting at the occupiers for what they had done. Their mother,Tetiana, also sustained shrapnel wounds. Their father, Roman, carried his wounded daughter in his arms to get help.
The mother and daughter will be treated for several months, but they were able to save their family and survive.
During a meeting with the Vlasenkos at the hospital, where the head of the family also arrived, Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted their solidarity, care and willingness to protect each other to the end, which saved their lives. The President wished the Vlasenko family a speedy recovery and expressed confidence that all of them would soon celebrate Ukraine's victory together.
"It can't be otherwise when there are such strong families in our country," – the President said.
He presented the Vlasenkos with a tablet for learning, flowers, sweets and fruits.
Volodymyr Zelensky handed over a stuffed toy to little Ihor, as the shell hit the yard of the family house during the shelling, and the boy’s toys were damaged.
In addition, the head of the Ukrainian state spoke with other wounded - residents of the Kyiv region, a territorial defence fighter and the driver of the murdered documentary film-maker Brent Renaud.
As reported, under cover of humanitarian corridors, the occupiers are redeploying forces and equipment. All rescue operations in the Kyiv region take place under enemy fire. Russian military fire from tanks at humanitarian convoys.
51-year-old American journalist Brent Renaud was killed by Russian occupiers on March 13 in Irpin near Kyiv. His colleague, 46-year-old Juan Diego Herrera Arredondo, was wounded.