Ukrainian Man Fleeing War Rescued in Snowy Mountains – But It’s the Kitten That Saved Him

A Ukrainian man in his 20s who fled his country to avoid conscription was recently rescued with a kitten in the snowy mountains of Romania. Vladislav Duda, 28, was found on December 6 in Romania’s Carpathian Mountains. According to the Associated Press, the Mountain Rescue Service rescued Duda in Maramureș County, a region bordering Ukraine.

When Duda was found, he was suffering from severe hypothermia and was clutching a tiny kitten named Peach, who was only a few months old. The kitten was tightly held to his chest. Dan Benga, the leader of the rescue team, told the Associated Press, “His only concern was the cat. He didn’t care about himself.” Benga added, “Ultimately, the warmth of the kitten’s body helped save his life.”

Cats’ body temperature is naturally warmer than that of humans, ranging from 37.2°C to 39.2°C (approximately from 99°F to 102.5°F), compared to humans’ average of 98.6°F. The area where Duda was found was harsh, covered in thick snow with temperatures plummeting to around -10°C (about 14°F), making his survival against the odds.

Duda is believed to have fled Ukraine, where he had worked as a journalist, to escape conscription into the war with Russia. Both Duda and the kitten were malnourished, but thankfully, they were not facing life-threatening injuries.

The kitten Peach became the first cat ever to be rescued in the Maramureș mountains. However, Duda was not the first Ukrainian man to be discovered fleeing conscription in the area.

Since the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022, Romanian rescue teams in Maramureș County, a mountainous region near the Ukrainian border, have saved 160 people. The number of rescues has doubled each year. However, there have also been 16 bodies found in the region during the same period, underscoring the perilous conditions.

Benga explained that while many Ukrainians have been found in this area, most are reluctant to ask for help. “They only request assistance when their lives are in immediate danger,” he said. Fear of being sent back to Ukraine often prevents them from seeking aid.

In response to the prolonged conflict, Ukraine’s government has adjusted its military conscription laws. In April, the Ukrainian parliament passed legislation lowering the conscription age from 27 to 25, increasing the pool of potential soldiers.

As the war drags on, soldiers are experiencing increasing fatigue, and supply shortages have worsened the situation, leading to rising desertion rates. The Ukrainian prosecutor’s office reported that between January and October this year, around 60,000 desertion-related cases were filed. This number exceeds the total number of deserters reported in the previous two years combined (2022-2023), highlighting the growing strain on Ukraine’s military forces.