Ukraine’s most famous cat, Stepan, who has more than 1 million followers, relocates to France to escape war after fans wondered why he was ‘social media silent’

Stepan, a Ukrainian cat with over 1 million followers, is now secure in France after the cat’s followers raised considerations over his security when his Instagram web page went weeks with none posts.

The cat’s handler, took to social media on Friday March 18, to disclose that they’d been compelled to flee war-torn Kharkiv amid the warfare. He additionally revealed that they went by way of a gruelling journey by prepare and on foot.

Stepan aged 13, grew to become in style on Instagram due to his amusing images and to his singature grumpy poses.

His proprietor, a girl referred to as Anna usually updates his Instagram account (@loveyoustepan) usually, so when it went silent for nearly two weeks, with no posts between March 3 and 16, followers began to fret they might have been damage or killed by assaults on Kharkiv, the place they reside.

Kharkiv, which is Ukraine’s second largest metropolis, is round 25 miles away from the Russian border, making it a serious goal. Although Russian troops haven’t but managed to seize it, it has confronted relentless bombing because the finish of February.

A submit that includes photos of Stepan wanting scared in his journey bag and on a prepare was accompanied by an extended caption detailing the gruelling journey from Ukraine.

‘On February 24, early within the morning, we have been sleeping at residence. At 5 am, some explosion was heard, and I did not even perceive what it was,’ she mentioned.

‘After some time, after half an hour later, there have been extra explosions, the home windows trembled. I jumped up and understood that one thing horrible was occurring!

‘The assault and shelling of Kharkiv (particularly on the North Saltovka the place we reside). We realized that the warfare had come to our home.’

The submit added that neighbouring houses have been being struck by shells day by day, and whereas their very own constructing remained intact for per week, on the eight day, it was broken after a shell hit their neighbours’ balcony.

In a prolonged Instagram caption, Anna revealed that ‘the warfare had come to [their] home’, and he or she needed to flee together with Stepan

It mentioned: ‘There was no hearth. Thank God! In two or three dozen residences, all of the home windows spilled out. Additionally, two shells fell in our yard in entrance of the home.

‘We spent two nights within the basement and with out electrical energy for per week. We needed to go to the close by basement to cost the cellphone. Then we managed to depart town. Kharkiv volunteers helped by taking us to the railway station.

‘We received on the prepare Kharkiv – Lviv (in 20 hours, we received to Lviv). Then we adopted to the border with Poland. On the border, we stood in a line in a pedestrian crossing. There have been lots of people (4-5 thousand). After 9 hours, we crossed the border.

‘After we reached Poland, we have been provided assist from the World Influencers and Bloggers Affiliation from Monaco.

The submit, which acquired nearly half one million likes, garnered quite a few feedback from involved followers.