The singer is helping pets left homeless by the war.

A star of Ukrainian opera has turned her home in Kharkiv into a cat sanctuary, providing shelter to abandoned animals in the war-torn country.

Olena Starykova, who is also a conservatory professor, started caring for stray cats a year before the Russian invasion, after a residential building collapsed across from her house. As former residents moved away, some of them left behind their cats, and Professor Starykova took them in.

When the war began in February 2022, the Kharkiv region became the site of heavy fighting, before Ukrainian forces eventually drove Russian forces away from the area.

The invasion caused massive disruption to normal life. The opera and ballet theatre in Kharkiv, where Professor Starykova performed in operas including La Traviata, was damaged by a rocket, and the number of cats being abandoned increased as people fled the fighting.

The singer responded by taking more cats into her home.

Professor Starykova said: “I arranged a separate enclosed area on my veranda, where now 20 cats reside. They are all special, and I appreciate each one of them! There's a little cat without eyes, and I'm his mother because I've been nurturing him since birth.”

Those caring for animals in Ukraine are being supported by organisations including U-Hearts Foundation. In June, the foundation sent 3,772kg of cat food and 10,800kg of dog food to the Kharkiv region, including 57kg for the cats in Professor Starykova’s care.

The foundation has been able to provide such support thanks to donations from around the world. Companies from the UK have given 62,082kg of pet food, 1,001 beds, mattresses, and other pet supplies, and 3,261 pet toys.

Anzhelika Babii, communications co-ordinator at U-Hearts, said: “I often interact with people like Olena, and each time I am deeply impressed by their bravery, compassion, and sincere desire to help animals, even when they themselves may be in danger.

“These stories also remind us that we must continuously support such volunteers and shelters, as the war in the country continues, and the number of pets in need of care keeps increasing.”

Image (C) U-Hearts Foundation