Viacheslav Zaitsev
September 6, 1980–October 5, 2022
Andrii Fylypchuk
September 25, 1989–February 2, 2023
Oleksandr Samchenko
February 7, 1994–February 4, 2023
Valentyn Krysiuk
February 22, 1998–February 10, 2023
Yurii Kovalenko
March 22, 1966–March 14, 2023
Oleksii Voitiuk
March 18, 1985–March 24, 2023
Mykola Maiorchak
July 1, 1992–June 2, 2023
Denys Borysov
July 9, 1991–Missing in action since June 9, 2023
Oleksandr Koval
October 17, 1982–December 3–4, 2023
Anton Smirnov
October 13, 1980–March 9, 2024
Daniil Semenenko
December 25, 1994–February 29, 2024
Volodymyr Hodas
January 30, 1975–June 25, 2024
Yurii Revera
June 20, 1973–August 27, 2024
Oleksandr Sirko
September 27, 1980–April 24, 2025
Andrii Tymoshchuk
May 3, 1987–June 8, 2025
Viacheslav Zaitsev
was born on September 6, 1980, in the village of Ivanivka, Kam’yansko-Dniprovs’kyi (now Vasylivka) district, Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine. He died on October 5, 2022, near Bakhmut in the Donetsk region while serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine during Russia’s invasion. He worked as a historian and archaeologist, head of the information and publishing department at the National Reserve ‘Khortytsia’, and as a deputy of the Zaporizhzhia City Council. He was also known as one of the legendary defenders, ‘cyborgs’, of Donetsk Airport.
Andrii Fylypchuk
was born on September 25, 1989, in the village of Khyshevychi, Lviv region, Ukraine. He died on February 2, 2023, near Kreminna in the Luhansk region while serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine during Russia’s full-scale invasion. He worked as an archaeologist and historian, serving as deputy director for research at the Historical and Cultural Reserve ‘Ancient Plisnesk’ and as head of the Plisnesk Archaeological Expedition. His research focused on the early medieval Plisnesk complex and Slavic ethnogenesis. He authored more than one hundred academic publications and was widely respected for his dedication to Ukraine’s cultural heritage. He volunteered for military service in February 2022, joining the 103rd Territorial Defence Brigade, and was killed defending Ukraine.
Oleksandr Samchenko
was born on February 7, 1994, in the village of Nemorozh, Zvenyhorodka District, Cherkasy region, Ukraine. He died on February 4, 2023, in a fierce battle with enemy forces in the Donetsk region while serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine during the Russian invasion. He worked as an archaeologist and historian – a graduate of the Faculty of History at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. He served as a rifleman in the 2nd Infantry Platoon of the First Motorised Infantry Company of the 72nd Separate Mechanised Brigade ‘Black Zaporozhians’. After his death, he was posthumously awarded the Order ‘For Courage’, Third Class.
Valentyn Krysiuk
was born on February 22, 1998, in the village of Krenychi, Kyiv region, and was a graduate of the History and Archaeology faculty at Borys Hrinchenko Kyiv University (class of 2021). He died on February 10, 2023, near the city of Vuhledar in the Donetsk region while serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine during the Russian invasion, where he fought as a rifleman and assistant grenadier in a motorised infantry battalion after joining the military at the start of the full‑scale war. He worked as a historian and archaeologist, was active in archaeological excavations and in the digitalisation of Ukraine’s Archaeological Archive. Prior to his death, he had prepared to defend his homeland from as early as 2014, serving previously as a volunteer and member of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army before later becoming a soldier in the 72nd Separate Mechanised Brigade.
Yurii Kovalenko
was born on March 22, 1966, in the village of Nekrasove near Hlukhiv, Sumy Oblast, Ukraine. He died on March 14, 2023, near the village of Kuzmyne in Luhansk region, during fighting as a staff sergeant in the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the war against the Russian invasion. He worked as a historian, archaeologist, museum specialist, local historian, teacher, and head of the scientific research department at the National Reserve ‘Hlukhiv’, participating in archaeological expeditions (notably at Baturyn) and humanitarian efforts such as the ‘Black Tulip’ focused on recovering and identifying the bodies of killed soldiers and civilians.
Oleksii Voitiuk
was born on March 18, 1985, in the village of Ivashchuky, Dubno District, Rivne region, Ukraine. He died on March 24, 2023, during a combat mission in the Donetsk region while serving as a defender of Ukraine; his death was later confirmed by DNA analysis in January 2026 after he had been missing in action. He worked as an archaeologist, restorer, and museum specialist at the Rivne Regional Museum of Local Lore and earlier at the Scientific Research Centre ‘Protective Archaeological Service of Ukraine’.
Mykola Maiorchak
was born on July 1, 1992, in the village of Vovkiv, Lviv region. He was killed in action on June 2, 2023, near the village of Bilohorivka, Donetsk region. Mykola participated in numerous archaeological expeditions, studying ancient history, early Christianity, and early European cultures. He contributed to the ‘Local History’ project, preserving eyewitness accounts of Ukraine’s struggle for independence, and worked as a senior research fellow at the Lviv Historical Museum, curating artefacts and leading scholarly projects on Ukrainian heritage. He was also an active participant in the ‘Revolution of Dignity’, a defining civic movement in Ukraine’s recent history. Mykola joined the Lviv Territorial Defence Forces and later served as commander of a grenade launcher unit in the 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade ‘Edelweiss’. He was killed in action on June 2, 2023, near Bilohorivka, Donetsk region, while defending Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Denys Borysov
was born on July 9, 1991, in the village of Yermolivka, Mykolaiv region. He has been missing in action since June 9, 2023, after enemy artillery fire while serving at the front during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He worked at the National Reserve ‘Sophia of Kyiv’ and was appointed head of the Kyrylivska Church Museum. He was an engaged archaeologist, researcher, dedicated to museum work and public education about the history and life of Kyiv’s most significant historical sites. He also studied the internal governance of the Church in Ukraine in the 18th–19th centuries.
Oleksandr Koval
was born on October 17, 1982, in the Kyiv region of Ukraine. He died on December 3–4, 2023, on the Kupiansk direction in the Kharkiv region during combat while defending Ukraine in the war against the Russian invasion. He worked as a junior scientific researcher in the Department of Old Rus’ and Medieval Archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, contributing to archaeological research and scholarship. In 2022, Oleksandr joined the Territorial Defence Forces, serving in units such as the 205th Battalion of Territorial Defence, the 241st Separate Brigade of Territorial Defence Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and the Regional Directorate of the Territorial Defence Forces ‘North’.
Anton Smirnov
was born on October 13, 1980, in Ukraine. He died on March 9, 2024, near Heorhiivka in the Donetsk region while serving in the 46th Separate Air Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine during the defence against the Russian invasion. He worked as an archaeologist – a graduate of the National University of Kyiv‑Mohyla Academy, and before joining the military, he participated in archaeological expeditions in Ukraine and abroad, worked in creative fields including photography, graphic and media projects, and later as a tutor working with children and adults. In 2023, he voluntarily joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces and served as a junior lieutenant with the call sign ‘Pisar’ (a scribe).
Daniil Semenenko
was born on December 25, 1994, in Bucha, Ukraine. He was killed in action on 29 February 2024 on the Donetsk direction while carrying out a combat mission. He graduated from the Historical Faculty of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, earning a bachelor’s degree in history with a specialisation in archaeology and museology. With the outbreak of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Daniil mobilised immediately as a volunteer for military service on 24 February 2022, joining the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade. He rose to the rank of junior sergeant and commanded a self-propelled artillery platoon.
Volodymyr Hodas
was born on January 30, 1975, in Armavir, Krasnodar Krai, Russia. He died on June 25, 2024, near the village of Chaplyne, Dnipropetrovsk region, while serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He worked as an archaeologist and museum specialist, serving as head of the archaeology department at the Dnipropetrovsk National Historical Museum and leading numerous archaeological expeditions exploring Bronze Age and Medieval sites, such as the noted Balka Kanzerka pottery centre. His interests extended beyond excavation to heritage protection and combating looting of archaeological sites. After the full-scale invasion, he volunteered for military service and served in a logistics unit on the front.
Yurii Revera
was born on June 20, 1973, in Lviv, Ukraine. He died on August 27, 2024, in the Donetsk region while serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine during the Russian invasion. He worked as a historian and archaeologist, graduating from the History Faculty of the Lviv National University and later served as a researcher at the Research Centre ‘Rescue Archaeological Service’ of the Institute of Archaeology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. After the full‑scale invasion, he joined the Lviv Territorial Defence and Ukrainian Armed Forces and served as a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) operator on the front.
Oleksandr Sirko
was born on September 27, 1980, in Khust, Zakarpattia region, Ukraine. He died on April 24, 2025, from wounds received during combat while defending Ukraine against the Russian invasion. Oleksandr worked actively in Ukrainian archaeology, including participating in field expeditions with the Zhytomyr Archaeological Expedition of the Institute of Archaeology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. He voluntarily joined the Armed Forces and served as a soldier and defender of Ukraine.
Andrii Tymoshchuk
was born on May 3, 1987 and died on June 8, 2025, while undergoing rehabilitation in a hospital after serving as a defender of Ukraine. From 2005–2012, Andriy worked as a research associate at the Centre for the Protection and Research of Archaeological Monuments of the Poltava Regional Council in Ukraine, participating in many of the Centre’s field expeditions and later conducting independent archaeological surveys in the region. He joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine, serving as a soldier.
