The 49 members of the 25th Dnipropetrovsk Airborne Brigade never had a chance. On June 14, they volunteered to replace soldiers on the front, taking fresh supplies with them. But they all were killed when Kremlin-backed separatists shot down their transport plane with two Igla man-powered, air-defense systems on the approach to Luhansk Airport.
Family members will be able to mourn their fallen sons, fathers and husbands after Kremlin-backed insurgents agreed to let the military take the bodies through hostile territory. During a temporary ceasefire on June 18, pro-Russian gunmen met with Ukrainian military personnel on a bridge in Karlivka in Donetsk Oblast. Several trucks with the bodies were allowed to cross. On June 19, the slain soldiers were taken to Dnipropetrovsk for identification.
Memorial services have been held all over the country to mourn the bloodiest day yet in the war. People brought flowers to memorials in Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhya, Kryvi Rih and other cities.
“He could fight face to face, he wasn’t afraid,” says Yevhen, brother of Ilya Hayduk, a 21-year-old soldier from Kryvi Rih, a EuroMaidan activist, killed in the plane. “But the way they died, it should not be so…”
The Defense Ministry said that two MANPADS were used to shoot down the aircraft. The Foreign Ministry on June 18 released pictures of seized MANPADS in eastern Ukraine with documentation showing them as property of the Russian military.
Tetiana Rychkova, an activist who helps the Ukrainian army, says she came to other soldiers from the 25th brigade in Dnipropetrovsk after the tragedy. “They didn’t cry – they are men – but we were all grieving,” Rychkova says.
Ukraine has already lost at least 147 Ukrainian servicemen, according to official figures. The civilian death toll is 210, according to Ukrainian Health Minister Oleh Musiy.
The Moscow-incited war is unlikely going to end soon.
Following is a list of victims aboard the Ukrainian IL-76 military aircraft:
Dnipropetrovsk Oblast
Kostyantyn Avdeev, 26, gunner. Avdeev’s friend, Vladyslav Pogoreliy, talked to him on June 13, minutes before the flight took off. “He promised to call me back when they land,” Pogoreliy recalls. “He was very sympathetic and helpful.” Avdeev leaves his mother and two younger sisters.
Vitaliy Bondarenko, 27, soldier from Dnipropetrovsk. His comrades say he was cheerful. Bondarenko’s friend, Volodymyr Pavlyuk, recalls his last conversation. “We discussed what we’ll do when Vitaliy comes back,” Pavlyuk says. “We even decided how we’d celebrate his return, but now we are waiting for a zinc coffin,” he says. The last message Bonderenko posted on his vKontakte page: “Fed up with service. When I come back home, I’ll marry.”
Anatoliy Gorda, 20, soldier. Inna Stadnichenko, Gorda’s friend, said he came home only once during his service, and then for only three days. “He was a very positive young man and we will always remember him,” she says.
Pavlo Levchuk, 26, soldier. Levchuk was as a university professor at Dnipropetrovsk National University. He was mobilized in early March and returned to his university to defend his Ph.D. thesis on June 5. Serhiy Vasylyuk, who knew Levchuk, says he had a good sense of humor. He is survived by his wife in Dnipropetrovsk.
Serhiy Shumakov, 26, rifleman, from Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. He was mobilized in March His friends tried to persuade him from going east. “Serhiy was very motivated and always was the first one to do whatever needs to be done,” his sister, Oleksandra Hordienko, was quoted as saying.
Denys Kamenev, 24, rifleman. Kamenev was mobilized in March. He used to work as a miner in Verbky village in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. He was the only son in his family.
Taras Malyshenko, 30, senior soldier. Malyshenko worked as a factory engineer. He was summoned to the army on March 30. Just a day before the tragedy, he came home for a visit. He leaves a pregnant wife and a 4-year-old son.
Pavlo Nikonov, 24, soldier. Nikonov was a student at the Metallurgical Academy. He volunteered to join the army in spring. “Am I a coward to sit at home, all our guys are there? We are paratroopers,” he said. Nikonov leaves his fiancée and parents.
Serhiy Moskalenko, 38, soldier. He told his common-law wife that he’d be home on June 14-15. His friends remember him as kind and brave. He lived in Nikopol and leaves his wife and a 5-year-old son.
Serhii Manulov, 33, technician. Manulov was born in Odesa Oblast, moved to Gvardisk in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast in 2007. He was a very talented technician, a friend said. Manulov’s father, a pensioner, decided to join the army to avenge his son’s death. Manulov leaves his wife and 3-year-old son.
Ruslan Kulibaba, 32, a military driver from Nikopol. Kulibaba is a former criminal investigator. He quit two years ago. Kulibaba leaves his parents.
Serhii Shostak, 33, senior soldier from Pavlograd. Shostak was a professional miner and worked at the Dniprovska mine since 2002. He leaves his wife, two daughters and parents.
Oleksandr Kotov, 31, soldier from Pavlograd. Kotov comes from a family of miners. When he was younger, he started working at the Western-Donbass Mine in 2004. He leaves his wife, daughter and parents.
Serhii Miroshnichenko, 19, soldier from Dinpropetrovsk. Miroshnichenko was a bachelor. “But he was a professional soldier, a very cheerful and kind man,” says Ihor Kputsenko, from the same brigade.
Ihor Tokarenko, 20, soldier from Dnipropetrovsk. Tokarenko was a professional soldier and athlete.
Yuriy Kovalchuk, 37, vehicle commander. He is survived by his family and sister in Dnipropetrovsk .
Serhiy Lesnoi, soldier from Dniprodzerzhynsk.
Andriy Dmytrenko, 21 soldier from Dnipropetrovsk city.
Anton Kuznetsov, 27 soldier from Dnipropetrovsk city.
Oleksandr Avramenko, rifleman from Dnipropetrovsk city.
Valeriy Grabovyi, deputy commander from Dnipropetrovsk city.
Serhiy Dobropas, soldier from Dnipropetrovsk city.
Vladyslav Kiva, sergeant from Dnipropetrovsk city.
Artem Skalozub, gunner from Dnipropetrovsk city.
Andriy Shulga, soldier.
Artem Sanzharovets, soldier.
Oleh Korenchenko, soldier.
Serhiy Kucheryaviy, soldier.
Kryvyi Rih
Stanislav Dubyaha, 26 rifleman. His friends say he was kind. Dubyaha’s classmate, Olena Shymko, says “he loved life and he never gave up, even when things went wrong,” Shymko recalls. He leaves his parents and a sister in Kryviy Rih.
Iliya Hayduk, 21, soldier from Kryvyi Rih. He celebrated his last birthday in the army. Hayduk’s brother, Evhen, believes the aircraft should have had a military convoy. “It turned out that the enemy appeared in the right time with the right equipment,” he says. Hayduk’s relatives say he was afraid to fly but not to die in battle. He planned to marry in autumn.
Evhen Reznikov, sergeant from Kryvyi Rih. Reznikov worked as a locomotive engineer at Arcelor Mining with his father. He was drafted into the army in March. His colleagues remember him as a true patriot.
Pavel Kosnar, 39, a soldier from Kryvyi Rih. His friends recalled he was “great friend and a great father.”
Valeriy Altunin, 44, commander from Kryviy Rih. His comrades recall Altunin was a favorite leader who would raise money to buy bulletproof vests and helmets. His comrades remember he would spend his last dollar on cigarettes for his soldiers.
Anton Samokhin, 23, soldier. Samokhin used to work at ArcelorMittal Kryviy Rih, a steel producer, while studying at the local Metallurgic Academy. “If all the men sit at home, who will defend the country?” one of Samokhin’s friends quoted him as saying.
Donetsk Oblast
Rostyslav Pronkov, 19, soldier. Pronkov was an only son. He leaves his mother in his native town in Donetsk Oblast. Pronkov’s mother, Olena Maksymenko wrote on her Facebook page: “My dear son, I don’t know where you are; I don’t know what happened to you. My heart is breaking as I don’t know the truth.”
Serhiy Kryvosheev, 18, soldier. His brother, Maksym Kryvosheev, says Serhiy wanted to serve since childhood. “We have no parents and now I lost Serhiy,” Maksym Kryvosheev was quoted as saying. The victim kept in in touch with his brother and three sisters. He was killed two months before his 19th birthday.
Lviv Oblast
Vitaliy Bakhur, 24, senior lieutenant. Bakhur, was deployed to the east, died two weeks before his birthday. His teacher, Luydmyla Lototska, recalled he was religious. “It’s a great loss for our village,” she adds. He leaves his parents, two brothers, his wife and a 1.5-year old daughter in his native village in Lviv Oblast.
Kirovohrad Oblast
Vitaliy Babanchyk, 20, soldier. Babanchyk joined the army in 2012. During the anti-terrorist operation, Babanchyk was deployed to the east and was captured by Russian-backed separatists once, local authorities in his native Hvardiyske town in Kirovohrad Oblast say.
Kharkiv Oblast
Serhiy Goncharenko, 22, soldier. Goncharenko’s father, who works as a musician, found out about his son’s death while he was performing at a wedding ceremony. “He was a very gifted young man, he used to paint and liked boxing,” his comrade, Oleh Lebedev was quoted as saying. “It’s hard to find such friends like him.” Goncharenko was the only son in his family. Goncharenko had a girlfriend in his native town in Kharkiv Oblast. “The best one, I’ll never forget you,” she wrote on her Vkontakte page on June 14.
Kherson Oblast
Oleh Lefintsev, 28, soldier from Kakhovka village in Kherson Oblast. He is survived by his wife and daughter.
Luhansk Oblast
Ihor Tokarenko, driver mechanic.
Crew members from Melitopol in Zaporizhya Oblast
Oleksandr Belyi, 38, crew commander and plane pilot. Belyi had 19 years of flying experience, had been on United Nation missions to Africa, China, and Greenland. More than anything else, he loved flying. “I know many want to become generals, but for me the main thing is flying,” he said.
Mykhailo Diakov, 46, was summoned to his military unit late in the evening, his father says. “Someone called him at 11 p.m. and he was gone. In the morning we found out in the news that he died,” Oleh Diakov says.
Oleksandr Kozoliy, 30, chief flight engineer. Kozoliy wanted to become a pilot and enrolled into a military academy even though his parents were against the decision. His teachers and friends in his native Kolomyya in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast remembered him as fair and helpful. Kozoliy leaves a wife and 1.5-year-old daughter.
Viktor Mentus, 32, flight radio operator. His comrades remember him as a cheerful man who couldn’t imagine life without his family. Mentus leaves his wife and a son.
Volodymyr Burkavtsov, 38, aircraft technician. Burkavtsov leaves his daughter and wife.
Ihor Skachkov, 37, air navigator.
Serhiy Telehin, 43, head of technical operation unit.
Oleh Pavlenko, 43, technical expert.
Oleksandr Kovalyk, 42, helicopter gunner.
On the same day on June 14, five border guards were killed by Russia-backed militants. Gunmen opened fire at their vehicle convoy near the Azovstal plant in the coastal Donetsk Oblast city of Mariupol. The border guards were carrying food and equipment to soldiers on the border. Officials say insurgents used grenade launchers.
The five victims are:
Serhiy Epifanov, 31
Volodymyr Hrechaniy, 36
Vitaliy Vynnychenko, 40
Mykola Zaitsev, 37
Oleksandr Ostrovskiy, 49.
Earlier another serviceman from Kryvyi Rih, Anton Ihnatchenko, 19 was killed in a firefight with pro-Russian insurgents at a checkpoint in Donetsk Oblast.
Two border guards Serhiy Tatarynov and Viacheslav Pelekhatiy were killed in an ambush in Donetsk Oblast. Tatarynov, 40 was killed near Snizhne in Donetsk Oblast on June 12. He leaves his wife and two children in his native Mykolaiv. Pelekhatiy, 40, was injured near Sloviansk on June 10, he died the next day in the hospital. Pelekhatiy leaves his wife and two children in his native Chernivtsi in western Ukraine.
