in 1932–33 another famine, known as holodomor in ukraine, occurred, with tens of thousands of peasants dying of starvation. during the famine, thousands of inhabitants tried to escape over the dniester, despite the threat of being shot. the most notable such incident happened near the village olănești on february 23, 1932, when 40 persons were shot. this was reported in european newspapers by survivors. the soviet side reported this as an escape of "kulak elements subverted by romanian propaganda."