Ukraine woman who went out to get medicines for sick mother, killed by Russian tank

A 31-year-old Ukrainian woman has been shot dead by Russian forces while trying to buy medicine for her ailing mother.

War

Ukraine is currently facing the worst period in its history. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on February 24 that he would declare war on Ukraine, while Russia continued to oppose Ukraine's desire to join the European Union.

The Russian government says more than 400 Ukrainians have been killed in a series of airstrikes by their forces in Ukraine. In addition, more than 15 million Ukrainians are seeking refuge in the neighboring countries.

Ailing Mother

Meanwhile, Valeriia Maksetska, a 31-year- old woman living in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, was forced to go outdoors to buy medicines for her ailing mother. Valeriia has worked for USAID, the US Agency for International Development.

Valeriia was planning to leave Kyiv due to the increase demand for drugs. As she prepared to leave the city to buy medicines, she was in a car with her mother, Irina, and her driver, Yaroslav.

A tank reportedly opened fire on Valeriia, Irina, and their driver, Yaroslav, while they had pulled over to let a Russian convoy pass on a route west of Kyiv.

Confirming this, USAID official Samantha Power said on her Twitter page, "I'm enormously sad to share the death of Valeriia ‘Lera' Maksetska — proud Ukrainian, beloved USAID implementing partner and brilliant, compassionate leader on building social cohesion and fighting disinformation.”

Valeriia is said to have tried to rescue Ukrainians trapped in Kyiv. It is said that she was killed by the Russian military just shy of her 32nd birthday which has turned everyone of us shattered.