Moment Ukrainian girl, 12, who lost both legs in Russian missile attack completes half marathon

4 Sep 2023 • 10:28 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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This is the heartwarming moment a young Ukrainian girl, who tragically lost both of her legs during a Russian shelling, crosses the finish line of a half marathon.

The 12-year-old girl, named locally as Yana Stepanenko from Kramatorsk, took part in the half-marathon in Lviv on Sunday.

Yana and her mother Natalia were among thousands attempting to flee eastern Ukraine in April 2022, when a Russian missile hit Kramatorsk train station,killing nearly 60 people and injuring more than 100.

Both were knocked unconscious by the impact of the missile and severely injured.