The turtle was discovered beneath debris on Mechnykova Street, where it had been trapped since the Russian attack on April 24. According to the Department of Municipal Security of the Odesa City Council, the reptile showed no signs of injury.
The owner, Tamara, said she never lost hope of finding her pet alive.
“I believed he was alive, that they would find him, and I sincerely thank our rescuers,” she said. “They kept reassuring me and giving me hope that Philip had a good chance of survival. Fortunately, that’s exactly what happened.”
Rescue and recovery operations continue at the site as crews clear the rubble and help residents recover surviving belongings. The search efforts were complicated by the extensive destruction of the building.
Overnight into April 24, Russian forces struck residential areas of Odesa, killing a married couple and injuring 15 other people. The attack damaged multiple residential buildings, including two multi-story apartment buildings that were hit directly, and completely destroyed two two-story houses.