Found in husband’s arms: what is known about the pregnant woman killed during attack on Kyiv
A married couple - Bohdan and Viktoriia, who was in the sixth month of pregnancy - were killed in their home on Zhylianska Street in Kyiv, hit by a Russian drone on 17 October.
Viktoriia Zamchenko worked as a sommelier in the Good Wine store chain.
"It is a very dark day for our company today. Today, we lost Vika, our sommelier, an incredibly kind and sympathetic person, a part of our family," Good Wine posted on their social media accounts.
The company said that Viktoriia had been working as a sommelier for six years in their shop on Mechnykova Street in Kyiv.
"She was the only woman in the department, but she never showed weakness; difficult tasks or challenges did not exist for her. She genuinely loved wine and her job," the company said.
Good Wine reported that the body of the pregnant woman, who was going to take maternity leave in December, was found in the arms of her husband Bohdan, together with their cat, in their apartment, hit by a Russian drone.
"It is hard to find the right words. But we’ll say a phrase which Vika repeated all the time: we have to feel less sorry for ourselves," Good Wine added.
The company has said in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda.Zhyttia that they have nothing else to say, other than what has already been posted on social media.
"It hurts a lot," Good Wine said.
In the comments, Ukrainians recognised Vika, who was working with clients in one of the shops just a few days ago.
"I do not believe my eyes… Talked to Vika a few days ago. Accidentally saw the photo and got goosebumps… How can this be real???"
"She helped me choose wine just yesterday, and today this. My condolences."
Yehor Hordieiev, a journalist who lives in the neighbourhood attacked by the drone, says that he only suffered "fright and [broken] glass".
"I did not know Vika because I went to a different Good Wine. Otherwise, I would have definitely known her and probably we would have been friends.
"My pregnant neighbour Vika died under the rubble in the arms of her husband at the same moment," he said.
Viktoriia herself posted on her social media in March 2022 that nobody knew what was ahead.
She missed her job and the team very much.
"This war has already ‘multiplied my peaceful job by zero’. Probably, only lifestyle bloggers have it worse than sommeliers," she wrote.
However, Viktoriia went back to work in autumn and held wine-tasting events. She, her husband, their future child, and a pet were killed by Russians in their own apartment on 17 October.
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