TL:DR
- A Ukrainian street cleaner, Olha, remained unfazed as a Russian drone exploded nearby while she was shovelling snow in Lviv.
- The incident occurred near a playground and was captured on video, going viral online.
- Mayor Andrii Sadovyi called Olha to check on her safety after the explosion, commending her courage.
- Nine residential buildings and local schools suffered damage, but fortunately, there were no fatalities.
Ukrainian street cleaner pauses briefly during drone strike
This is the moment an incredibly brave Ukrainian road cleaner watches a Russian drone explode just metres away from her, before casually getting back to work.
Footage captures 59-year-old Olha working hard, sweeping up the snow moments before and after a Russian drone exploded in Lviv, near the monument to a former Ukrainian nationalist leader, Stepan Bandera.
Out of nowhere, the sky fills with bright shades of red and orange as Russia launches an air raid.
Olha barely flinches when the drone detonates as it lands on a children’s playground nearby, sending dangerous sparks flying into the air.
After taking a very brief pause to collect herself, she gets back to shovelling the snow, completely unfazed by what just unfolded.
Recalling the moment in an interview with Radio Liberty, Olha said: ‘We were standing and I was cleaning the bus stop.
‘I didn’t know anything was going to fly in. Then we were told to run and it just flew over our heads.
‘There was a very loud and dull explosion.
‘I thought it was a mine, but the policeman said it was a Shahed [Russian drone].’
Your courage today has impressed everyone in Ukraine
When she returned home later that day, she received a call from Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi to check if she was okay after the explosion.
He said: ‘I don’t know whether to thank you or to scold you.
‘Your courage today has impressed everyone in Ukraine. I want to thank you for serving the community and for your work.
‘But I also want to stress that when there is an air raid, please take care and stay safe.
‘I understand there is work to be done, but your safety comes first.’
The video showing Olha’s commendable courage quickly went viral on social media as users were stunned by how calm she was during a near-death experience that would have sent many fleeing for their lives.
Historian and journalist Vakhtang Kipiani joked: ‘The nervous system of this Ukrainian woman, Olha from Lviv, should be recognised as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.’
Others noted how tragic it is that something so deadly has become a common occurrence.
One X user commented: ‘Yeah, it’s rough, but as it’s been happening for years, people just kinda used to the danger.
‘It’s sad that it’s like that in 2026.’
Another user wrote: ‘Resilience in the face of the day-to-day many challenges.
‘Ukrainian’s intestinal fortitude is nothing short of a country believing in sovereignty, which is forthcoming.’
A tractor driver who was clearing the snow nearby suffered minor injuries in the attack but is reported to be fine.
Nobody was killed in the attack; however, the city has been damaged by the blast.
Nine residential buildings were damaged, along with stained-glass windows at a local church and windows at nearby schools, according to reports.