Cat rescued from trenches of Ukraine war by Newark soldier Aiden Aslin missing just days before he and fiancee Diana Okovyta due to travel back to the war-stricken country
A cat rescued from the trenches by soldier Aiden Aslin is missing, with his owners desperate to be reunited with him before returning to war-torn Ukraine.
Grey and white cat Jingles was last seen at his home in the Wolfit Avenue area of Balderton, at 11pm on July 17, and is due to travel with Aiden and his fiancee Diana Okovyta back to their home in Ukraine next Monday, where they plan to rebuild their lives.
Diana said neighbours have reported sightings in the area and on Main Street, but Jingles has yet to return to his family.
She said: “We keep searching every day, we are happy he’s been sighted and think he’s okay and hasn’t been locked in anywhere.
“He is due for an appointment at the vets to get his travel health pass, and if he doesn’t come home in time we will not be able to take him.”
Jingles is a very special member of the family, having been rescued from the Donbas frontline by British-born Ukrainian Army soldier Aiden as a kitten and raised among soldiers before finding a home with Aiden’s fiancee Diana, who refused to leave him behind when she came to the UK as a refugee to live with Aiden’s family.
Aiden, a former carer, moved to Ukraine after fighting alongside the Kurds against Islamic State in Syria.
Arrested on his return under anti-terror legislation and spending months needlessly on police bail despite fighting against terrorism, he settled in Ukraine as soon as his passport was returned.
He joined the Ukrainian Marines following the fall of Crimea to the Russian invader in 2014.
He chose to re-enlist after his service with the threat of the invasion of the rest of Ukraine looming.
After saving Jingles while in the trenches, Aiden managed to get the cat to Diana, who refused to leave him behind when she fled because of the connection to Aiden.
Aiden’s unit, 36th Marine Brigade, out ofa ammunition and food, was ordered to surrender during the seige of Mariupol in April 2022, having done all they could to defend their homeland.
He was tortured, paraded on Russian state television with other foreign fighters who were all falsely accused of being mercenaries and was sentenced to death in a show trial.
With the constant daily threat of the sentence being carried out, and an execution site prepared, he was later released to the shock of the world in a deal brokered by the Saudi Crown Prince and former Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich.
Aiden later returned to the war-torn country as a war correspondent, reporting on the ongoing brutal conflict for his YouTube channel.
“When I fled Ukraine I brought him with me,” Diana added.
“He is a family member, he has been through a lot with me. But we can’t cancel our journey to Ukraine, we just really need him to come home.
“It wasn’t easy to travel with him all across Europe, but I didn’t think for a second about leaving him.”
Diana explained that Jingles is very friendly with strangers and can be approached.
He is microchipped and wears a blue collar with Diana’s contact details. Sightings can also be reported to Diana on 07737 709364.
She added: “You can call any time of the day or night.
“We are desperate to have him home.”
