Ukrainians honour dead fighter at outdoor funeral in capital
Published:Sunday | January 8, 2023 | 1:23 PM
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian soldiers, family and mourners gathered in frigid weather in Kyiv on Sunday to pay tribute to a soldier killed fighting against Russian forces in Bakhmut, the strategic city under siege on the eastern front.
An open casket, outdoor service was held in Kyiv's Independence Square for Maj. Oleh Yurchenko who was killed in Bakhmut on January 2.
Fellow soldiers carried the coffin while others knelt on the ground. A bugle played and later a male quartet sang solemn hymns as an Orthodox priest conducted the service attended by about 200 people.
Yurchenko, 45, nicknamed “Happy,” volunteered for the army after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began on February 24.
He had been head of security for TIU Canada, an energy company operating in Ukraine, according to a Facebook post.
Yurchenko was well-known as a Ukrainian patriot as he had been a participant in pro-democracy demonstrations in 2004-2005 and later in 2014 which ousted Viktor Yanukovych as president. Kyiv's Independence Square was the centre of both demonstrations so it was fitting as the site for the religious ceremony for Yurchenko.
“He was the best Ukrainian, a kind father, a very responsible person,” said Yurii Zhukovskyi, a Ukrainian soldier. “It is a very heavy loss, because these are the best people in Ukraine, and they are dying. It is a great pity. And no matter how many enemies are killed, we are sorry for (the death of) one such person.”
Another fellow soldier, Ruslan Boyko, praised Yurchenko's positive outlook.
“He was a very brave, very cheerful person who always tried to help everyone, to be ahead in any situation,” Boiko said.
He said that Yurchenko was always ready “to take on more responsibility, more tasks and protect everyone as much as possible.”
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