Oleksiy Yukov death: Ukraine honors volunteer who recovered war dead
Oleksiy Yukov, 40, was killed by a landmine during a Donetsk recovery mission after decades spent returning war dead for burial.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
2 min read
Oleksiy Yukov death has drawn mourners in Ukraine after the 40-year-old volunteer was killed by a landmine while recovering the dead in the Donetsk region. Yukov, known as the “collector of souls,” died on Aug. 5 while attempting to exhume a body, according to NPR, which cited a post by his friend Serhiy Hnezdilov.
Thousands attended an Orthodox funeral service at St. Volodymyr Cathedral in Kyiv on Aug. 8, NPR reported. He had also been commemorated in Sloviansk, his hometown in Donetsk province. Associated Press photo captions published by KDH News showed priests leading the Kyiv ceremony, relatives at his coffin and fellow soldiers carrying it.
Who was Oleksiy Yukov?
Yukov spent more than two decades locating the remains of soldiers and civilians in war zones. The nickname associated with him reflected his belief that those killed should be recovered and buried with dignity, according to NPR and NDTV.
His work began as a teenager, when he searched World War II battlefields in Ukraine for remains, NPR reported, citing Ukrainska Pravda. After Russia’s 2014 invasion and annexation of Crimea, he founded the volunteer group Platsdarm, meaning “Bridgehead,” to recover remains and arrange burials.
Platsdarm’s work extended to Ukrainian troops, Russian troops and civilians, NPR reported. Recovering bodies can allow the dead to be identified and returned to families for burial; Yukov said his group collected Russian military dead as well despite the war.
How did Platsdarm recover bodies near the front?
Yukov described a method built around clearing hazards before teams looked for remains. In areas considered safe enough, volunteers used drones to inspect terrain, then used probes and metal detectors to look for mines and unexploded devices, he told Ukrainska Pravda in an account cited by NPR. They called bomb-disposal specialists before beginning a search.
The danger was personal and recurring for Yukov. He lost an eye and suffered a leg injury in a mine blast in 2022, but returned to recovery missions while still recovering, NPR reported, citing the Associated Press.
His widow, Evhenyia Kaluhyna, said at the funeral that Platsdarm’s work would continue, according to NDTV. Yukov was fatally wounded while exhuming soldiers’ bodies on the Donetsk front line, according to AP captions published by KDH News.
This story draws on original reporting from NPR.