Injured big cats at Vasilievsky animal center recovering after Ukrainian strikes

MELITOPOL, April 22. /TASS/. Four animals injured in a Ukrainian army attack on the Vasilievsky rehabilitation center for large predators in the Zaporozhye Region have resumed eating, and three ligers – hybrids of lions and tigers – as well as a tigress are now feeling better, the center’s director, Alexander Pylyshenko, told TASS. "The animals tried to eat yesterday and already today, which means they’re feeling better and recovering," Pylyshenko said. He added that, as electricity remains available in the area, staff have begun repairing animal enclosures and winter shelters damaged in the attack. On April 21, Pylyshenko told TASS that drone strikes by the Ukrainian military had injured one tigress and three ligresses at the center. About 250 square meters of roofing and a car were destroyed, dozens of windows were shattered, and buildings across the facility were damaged. Pylyshenko described the attack as deliberate, saying four drones were used to carry out the strikes, while a fifth was shot down 50 meters away.