Russia killed them: rescuers who died in the line of duty

With the beginning of the full-scale invasion, ABO Local Media Development Agency created the "Memorial: Killed by Russia". The memorial keeps the names of civilians and soldiers who died due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. "We have created this memorial so that you can learn about everyone killed by the Russian army," the media notes.

Svidomi, in cooperation with Memorial: Killed by Russia, tells about the rescuers who died in the line of duty.

34-year-old rescuer Pavlo Katsan died in Mykolaiv on the night of October 13. One of the Russian missiles hit the State Emergency Service station building, destroying it. 

Katsan served in the Mykolaiv region's Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service units since 2010. Pavlo Katsan saved lives on water bodies, and from the beginning of the full-scale invasion, he was involved in rescue operations in Mykolaiv.

"Full of strength and energy, a good friend, frank and friendly, professional and faithful to his work.  His family lost the most valuable thing - the father of three daughters, husband, and son", colleagues wrote.

29-year-old Yaroslav Miroshnyk was a rescuer. Together with other firefighters, he helped extinguish a large-scale fire that arose due to a Russian missile strike on an oil depot in the Dnipropetrovsk region. The junior sergeant of the Civil Protection Service died on Sunday morning (June 19) when a container exploded there.

Yaroslav Miroshnyk dreamed of becoming a rescuer since school. He joined the team last year in August — he worked as a driver of the fire and rescue unit of the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

He loved birds and even had his own pigeon house. 

"He kept one breed — those that fly high. Then, in memory of the rescuer, the birds were released into the sky," the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration said.

26-year-old Yurii was a rescuer. On August 14, he was wounded during an enemy shelling in Bilytske, Donetsk region. The Russians shelled the location when the rescuer was extinguishing the fire again.  On August 16, he died in the hospital.

"Doctors fought desperately for his life, but he died. Eternal memory to the Hero, condolences to the family", — colleagues of the deceased wrote. 

36-year-old rescuer Denys Koliadenko died on May 9 during the shelling of Borivske village, Luhansk region. He received injuries incompatible with life.

Denys Koliadenko was the deputy chief of the 36th State Fire and Rescue Unit of the 1st State Fire and Rescue Service and captain of the Civil Protection Service. He lived in Severodonetsk.

"An unspeakable loss. A rescuer was killed on a combat post. Memory Eternal. We will remember," the Severodonetsk State District Administration wrote.

Yevhen Donets was a rescuer. On March 18, in the village of Natalivka in Zaporizhzhia, the man was extinguishing a fire caused by Russian shelling. Then Russian troops hit the object again. That day, nine people died, seventeen were wounded, and five were injured.

The man was 38 years old. He had served in the ranks of the State Emergencies Service twelve of them.

"Rescuers deeply mourn the death of a fellow firefighter and express condolences to the family and friends. Yevhen will always remain in our memory as a good friend, a sensitive and kind person and a firefighting professional," the Main Office of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Zaporizhzhia region reported.

The Order For Courage, 3d degree, which Yevhen Donets was awarded posthumously, was handed over to the young daughter of the deceased by the head of Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration, Oleksandr Starukh.

"Your father was a hero. He saved people. And this is the highest manifestation of human qualities and intentions", — the head of the Zaporishshia Regional Military Administration noted.