"All that I've achieved in life, everything I have now, is thanks to her." Six stories of Ukrainian educators killed by the war
World Teachers' Day is celebrated on 5 October. It’s a day to honour all educators: university lecturers, preschool staff, and school teachers. The Memorial memory platform remembers those educators who are no longer with us. Their lives were taken by Russia, which started a full-scale war against Ukraine on 24 February 2022.
After she had her daughter, she realised that her vocation was to become a teacher
Alla Dukii, 46, was killed on 12 March 2022 in the village of Novyi Bykiv in Chernihiv Oblast. She had arrived there from Kyiv, together with her daughter, sister and nephews, on the evening of 24 February 2022, when the full-scale war began.
However, four days later, Russian troops occupied Novyi Bykiv. On 12 March, at a time when no shelling could be heard, Alla and her sister Oksana went to another part of the village to visit their stepfather, buy groceries, and fetch some belongings for the children. On their way back, they got caught in shelling. A fragment hit Alla in the head and killed her. Her sister Oksana was injured but survived.
Alla's body was buried in the yard three days later, and after the Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated the village, she was buried in the cemetery.
Alla was born and lived in Kyiv. She and her sister started working as soon as they left school. Later, Alla got married and had a daughter. She spent a lot of time with her, inventing various games, and this helped her to realise what her calling was. She enrolled at the National Pedagogical Dragomanov University and qualified as a primary school teacher and psychologist. In 2005, together with a friend, she opened Znaiechka, a children's preschool, teaching children from 2 to 6 years old.
"She lived for the children and devoted all her free time to teaching and developing the school," Alla’s sister Oksana said. "People like her are rare in this world. Alla was very sincere and open, always helpful, and had an undeniable authority among her relatives, friends and acquaintances. When the children were younger, we’d go travelling around together in her car. Those were wonderful times. We all miss her very much."
Alla Dukii's preschool closed after her death.
He worried about how to rebuild a school destroyed by shelling
Oleksandr Hnedko, 50, was the headteacher of a school in the village of Zelenyi Hai in Mykolaiv Oblast. On 13 March 2022, the Russian army launched an airstrike on the school, which was being used as a shelter for local residents. Seven bodies were pulled from the rubble. Among the dead was the village elder, Mykola Strutynskyi. Oleksandr Hnedko, who had been with him at the school, was severely injured. He was taken to hospital in Mykolaiv. But his life could not be saved – on 12 May, his heart stopped.
Oleksandr had lived in Zelenyi Hai since he was a child and graduated from the local school, which was built under the guidance of his father, Serhii. He became a history and law teacher, and later also a teacher of physical education. He loved playing chess, and he organised recreational activities for children and adults in the village. In 2021, he became the school’s headteacher.
Oleksandr's favourite hobby was his vineyard. He made sparkling wines and even had his own labels for the bottles. Every Village Day, he and his friend Ivan would treat the villagers to homemade fish soup, cooking 300 litres (530 pints) of it.
During the full-scale war, Oleksandr helped arrange a shelter at the school. His family collected blankets for civilians and soldiers on duty in the village and prepared food for them.
"Her lessons always made you smile"
Nina Samovidova, 59, was killed on 24 May 2022 in the village of Fedorivka, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. She taught English and was returning home from a tutoring session that day. She was riding her bicycle when she got caught in shelling. A shell fragment hit her head and her hand was severed. Her injuries were fatal.
Nina Samovidova was born in the village of Voskresenka, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. She was an English teacher at the Fedorivka general secondary school. Her former students say she knew how to make lessons interesting and motivate children to learn.
"Nina Hryhorivna was an incredible person, a role model in every sense of the word, a dedicated teacher right to the end," said former student Tetiana Pluzhnikova. "She was so lively, cheerful, and full of energy. Her lessons always made you smile. She was the person who instilled a love of English in me. Thanks to the knowledge I gained in her classes, I easily passed an interview and went abroad at the age of 18. Everything I've achieved in life, everything I have now, is thanks to her. I remember bringing her souvenirs from every trip to say thank you. She’d always cry in response. She always looked forward to my visits."
Nina Samovidova raised her son on her own and always tried to provide him with everything he needed. She took care of her household. In her free time, she loved reading. That was her hobby, and she often visited the village library.
"She was the dearest person to me," said Nina's son, Oleksandr. "I'm grateful to her for everything... I couldn't believe it when this happened and took it very hard."
"In his last days, he’d spend at least 5-10 minutes a day reading"
Andrii Nykyforenko, 52, was killed on 20 March 2022 in Mariupol. He had gone to fetch water from a well and fell victim to an airstrike near the bridge on Makara Mazaya Street. A concrete pillar fell on him.
"Two weeks later, when the intensive shelling had ceased and the Russian occupiers began to allow us to move around, my daughter and I retraced his footsteps," his wife Nataliia said. "Andrii was found in a mass grave under the bridge on the banks of the Kalchyk River. Locals had buried five victims in a crater made by a shell. Among them were a Ukrainian tank driver and locals from nearby houses. We recognised Andrii by his clothing."
Andrii Nykyforenko's father, Rostyslav, was from Chernivtsi in Ukraine’s southwest. After finishing university, he was sent to work in the east, in Horlivka, Donetsk Oblast, where Andrii was born. As an adult, Andrii, together with his wife Nataliia, loved to return to the west and visit Bukovyna. He was an active man, always on the move. He loved travelling, forests, mountains, hiking and cycling.
His wife added, "He loved Ukraine, its language and music – genuinely and deeply. He passed this love on to our daughter."
"In 2021 we were transferred to work at Mariupol State University. We’d just started the new semester – and then the war began. Andrii loved his work and he loved books. He read a lot. He was very knowledgeable. Even during the last days in Mariupol, he’d read for at least 5-10 minutes [a day]. That was how he kept going psychologically. On the morning he died, he read Vasyl Stefanyk's novella All Alone," Nataliia recounted.
"I've been at this kindergarten since day one"
Lidiia Syrbu, 67, died of a heart attack on 7 March 2022, in Izium, Kharkiv Oblast. On the night of 3 March, the Russian army dropped a bomb on the Peregon family's house on Ukrainska Street. Seven members of her family were killed. Lidiia's heart could not bear this immense grief.
"The last time I spoke with Lidiia Oleksiivna was on 4 March," said Lidiia’s colleague Nataliia. "She told me about the tragedy that had befallen her family. All that was left of the house on Ukrainska Street where Lidiia's relatives had been killed was a crater. They had to gather up parts of their bodies... During that conversation, she said she couldn't breathe. Then Lidiia found the strength to visit the kindergarten where she worked. She made sure that the windows were boarded up and construction debris was cleaned up after the shelling. That was her last working day. Her heart couldn't stand it, and Lidiia passed away."
Lidiia Syrbu was born in Donetsk Oblast. She worked in preschool education for almost 40 years. She was the head of Izium Kindergarten No. 17 – the first Ukrainian-speaking preschool institution in the city.
"She was the sole head of the nursery and kindergarten right through until 7 March 2022," Nataliia said. "'I've been at this kindergarten since day one,' Lidiia Oleksiivna used to say. She was a talented leader and professional and a wise mentor. She always created a pleasant environment for her pupils and colleagues. Under Lidiia Oleksiivna's leadership, our preschool institution was among the best – and not just in Izium."
"His students used to enter competitions and win prizes"
Oleksandr Kryvenko, 75, was killed by a Russian soldier on 27 March 2022, in Bucha, Kyiv Oblast. A drunk soldier forced him out of his house on Turgenev Street and made him ask his neighbours for alcohol at gunpoint. At one of the houses, the occupier shot Oleksandr.
Oleksandr Kryvenko was born in the village of Mykulychi in Kyiv Oblast. He qualified as a pilot and mechanic and worked in a repair team at Zhuliany airport, Kyiv. Later, he worked as the chief adjuster in the thermal workshop at a glass factory in Bucha.
Oleksandr was passionate about modelling. He entered the Dragomanov Pedagogical University at the age of 45, and after graduating, he spent several decades teaching modelling to children. For over 30 years, he headed the Irpin Children's Centre for Extracurricular Education, and in recent years, he ran a ship modelling club.
"My father loved it. His students used to enter competitions and win prizes," said his son, Yurii.
Oleksandr was in Bucha when the full-scale war started. His family evacuated in mid-March, but he didn’t want to leave his house and dogs.
The occupiers set up a checkpoint and a base near Oleksandr’s house. On 27 March, one of the Russian soldiers came to see him.
"My father used to get around by bicycle," Yurii said. "That day, his neighbours told me that his bike was outside the house and his keys were in the door, but my father was missing. Later it turned out that a drunk Russian soldier who wanted more alcohol had led my father around the houses at gunpoint towards the cemetery on Malynovskyi Street. My father was forced to ask the neighbours in Ukrainian for alcohol for the occupier. At one house, they took a long time to open the door, and when they did, the occupier started saying which wine he wanted and he fired into the air. Then he shot my father twice, as well as the owner of the house."
This article, prepared by the Memorial Memory Platform, tells the stories of Ukrainian military and civilians killed by Russia, exclusively for Ukrainska Pravda.
Editing: Teresa Pearce