Protests in Ukraine escalate

[Natalka]

War kills randomly...
Yevhen Kolodin was hospitalized in critical condition (severe aneurysm) on April 6, 2019. He never regained consciousness and passed away on April 9.

Yevhen was born on July 31, 1959; resided in Kyiv. He served with the 1st Tank Regiment of the 72nd Separates Mechanized Brigade.

Yevhen leaves behind a young child.


Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!

Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

Past 24 hours in the war zone

Russian mercenaries launch 22 attacks against Ukrainian positions in Luhansk, Donetsk and Mariupol sectors, 4 using heavy artillery and mortars banned by Minsk.

1 Ukrainian soldier killed, 8 wounded.9 enemy militants killed, 8 wounded.

Russian officials publicly threaten Ukraine with “military conflict”. Russia is now heavily militarizing Crimea &Black Sea. Some 28,000 Russian soldiers are stationed in Crimea. Russia has doubled its military budget over past 10 years.

Tensions btwn Russia & Ukraine is not a frozen conflict: it can flare up with very little warning.

Ukrainian Armed Forces gained ground in the warzone, securing a large piece of the "grey zone" territory.

[Natalka]

Oleh Boytsov was killed on April 9, 2019 during a demining operation at the pump station near the Siversk-Donetsk Canal (grey zone near Zaitseve). 2 other demining engineers were injured.

Oleh was born in 1979; resided in Sloviansk, Donetsk Oblast. He worked as an explosives technician with the Emergency State Service of Ukraine, Senior Officer of the Explosives Department and Humanitarian Demining on special assignment in Donetsk Oblast.

Oleh leaves behind his grieving wife and 2 children.

Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!

Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

Yaroslav Chemny died at his post in Luhansk Oblast on April 7, 2019 (circumstances of death currently under investigation).

Yaroslav was born in Koropets, Ternopil Oblast on December 3, 1988; resided in the village of Uhornyky, Ivano-Frankivsk Obl. He enlisted in April 2017 and served in the 53rd Separate mechanized Brigade.

Yaroslav leaves behind his grieving parents and sister.

Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!

Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

War kills randomly…

Vitaliy Syniavsky died of 4th stage cancer on April 10, 2019.

Vitaliy was born on May 14, 1991 in Tarashcha, Kyiv Oblast. He served on the front lines with the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Vitaliy leaves behind his grieving parents and brother.

Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!

Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

Paratrooper Roman Chybinieyev was killed in combat in the Azov-Mariupol sector on April 11, 2019.

Roman was born in Berdiansk, Zaporizhzhya Oblast on July 4, 1989. He enlisted in 2016 and served as commander of a unit in the 79th Air Assault Brigade.

Roman leaves behind his brother, Hero of Ukraine Valeriy Chybinieyev, commander of the sniper detachment in the 79th Air Assault Brigade.

Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!

Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

Past 24 hours in the war zone

Russian occupation troops launch 14 attacks against Ukrainian positions in Luhansk, Donetsk and Mariupol sectors, 4 using heavy artillery and mortars banned by Minsk.

No casualties on the Ukrainian side.2 enemy militants killed, 5 wounded.

U.S. ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman says Washington committed to defending Ukraine's territorial integrity & the issue of Moscow's annexation of Crimea and war in eastern Ukraine was "a core part of our estrangement with Russia."

[Natalka]

War kills randomly...
Oleksiy Ustinov, nom de guerre “Domovy”, died suddenly of a heart attack on April 12, 2019.

Oleksiy was born in Kryvy Pih, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. He served in the 43rd Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade “Patriot”.

Oleksiy leaves behind his grieving parents.

Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!

Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

Past 24 hours in the war zone

Russian-led troops launch 9 attacka on Ukrainian positions in Luhansk, Donetsk and mariupol sectors, 4 using heavy artillery and mortars proscribed by Minsk.

2 Ukrainian soldiers wounded.3 enemy soldiers killed, 4 wounded.

Ukraine files request with International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), seeking release of 24 Ukrainian sailors captured by Russian Federation in Kerch Strait in Nov 2018.

President Petro Poroshenko says he does not rule out that a meeting of Normandy Four leaders, including President Vladimir Putin, will be held in June to decide on withdrawal of Russian troops from Donbas.

[Natalka]

A video showing how civilians live close to the frontline on Donbas. Ukrainian soldiers have brought food, medicine, and clothing for residents of the frontline village of Vilnyi in the Luhansk region. This settlement was liberated last summer, but Russian-led militants are constantly trying to take back the positions by shelling residential areas.

[Natalka]

Ukraine’s best and brightest are disappearing before our very eyes…

20-year-old Mykola Volkov, nom de guerre “Smurfik”, succumbed to wounds sustained in battle (sniper fire) on April 10, 2019. Mykola was transported to Mechnikov Hospital in Dnipro with severe brain damage, but despite the doctors’ fight to save him, Mykola’s heart gave out on April 15.

Mykola was born on February 20, 1999 in Mariupol, Donetsk Oblast. In June 2018, he trained as a nurse at the Educational Centre of the Hospitaliers Medical Battalion and then worked as a volunteer paramedic in 8th Battalion of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army “Aratta”.

Mykola leaves behind his grieving father, brother and sister.

Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!

Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

55-year-old Ihor Ihnatenko, nom de guerre “Batia”, was killed by a direct mortar hit to the checkpoint post in Shakhta Butivka near Avdiyivka on April 12, 2019.

Ihor was born on November 17, 1963 in the RSFSR; resided in Vasyliv, Zaporizhzhya Oblast. He arrived in Ukraine in the early years of independence, set up the Kosh agricultural community and took part in the renaissance of Cossack traditions in Zaporizka Sich. He also participated in the Revolution of Dignity and went to war as soon as the war began. He served in the National Guard Battalion “Donbas”, the 56th Separate Mechanized Brigade and the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade.

Ihor leaves behind his grieving wife and 2 sons.

Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!

Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

Past 24 hours in the war zone

Despite the so-called "Easter Truce", Russian mercenaries launched 10 attacks against Ukrainian positions in Donetsk, Luhansk and Mariupol sectors, 2 using heavy artillery and mortars proscribed by Minsk.

1 Ukrainian soldier wounded.3 enemy soldiers killed, 5 wounded.

[Natalka]

War kills randomly…

Mykola Palamarenko died suddenly of a heart attack on April 15, 2019.

Mykola was born in Kalnyk, Vinnytsia Oblast. He joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine and fought in the war in eastern Ukraine.

Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!

Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

Past 24 hours in the war zone

"Easter Truce" continues as Russian merecenaries launch 10 attacks on Ukrainian positions in Luhansk, Donetsk and mariupol sectors, 4 using heavy artikkery and mortars banned by Minsk.

No casualties on the Ukrainian side.4 enemy militants killed, 6 wounded.

Long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) has crashed near the contact line in Donetsk Oblast.

Former deputy chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lt Gen (Reserve) Ihor Romanenko says Russia is ready to launch large-scale military operation: "They have 80,000 men standing on border with Ukraine, including 38,000 in Luhansk & Donetsk regions and 700 tanks in occupied areas of Donbas.