Ukraine war latest: Widow of Chornobyl's first victim killed by Russian attack on Kyiv 39 years later
Key developments on Nov. 15-16.
- Widow of Chornobyl's first victim killed by Russian attack on Kyiv 39 years later
- Kyiv, Moscow reach deal on prisoner exchange to free 1,200 Ukrainians
- Russian military reportedly executes 2 Ukrainian POWs in Zaporizhzhia Oblast
- Ukraine strikes major oil refinery in Russia’s Samara Oblast, hits elite Rubikon drone base
- Russian assault on key Dnipropetrovsk Oblast village repelled, Ukraine says
Nataliia Khodemchuk, widow of Valerii Khodemchuk, the first victim of the 1986 Chornobyl disaster, died in Kyiv after suffering severe injuries in a mass overnight Russian attack on Nov. 14–15.
The State Agency for Exclusion Zone Management said Khodemchuk, 73, was critically wounded when a drone struck a residential building in the Troieshchyna district, completely burning her apartment.
She was taken to the Burn Center near the Chernihivska metro station, but doctors were unable to save her life.
Khodemchuk's death brings the total number of people killed in the Nov. 14 missile and drone attack on Kyiv to seven, with at least 36 others injured and damage reported across nine districts of the capital.
President Volodymyr Zelensky commented on Khodemchuk's death in a post on X on Nov. 15, calling it "a new tragedy caused once again by the Kremlin."
"Ukrainians who survived Chornobyl, who helped rebuild the country after that disaster, are once again facing danger — the terror of an aggressor state," Zelensky said.
"Ukraine needs support that saves lives: more air defense systems, more protective capabilities, and greater resolve from our partners. Only this can stop further Russian terror and give Ukrainian families the basic right to safety in their own homes."
The Chornobyl nuclear accident occurred on April 26, 1986, when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. The accident remains the most devastating nuclear disaster in the history of nuclear energy production in terms of civilian casualties to date.
Valerii Khodemchuk was immediately killed in the initial blast and is commemorated as the first victim of the disaster. His body was never found. A monument to Khodemchuk is built into the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant sarcophagus.
Nataliia Khodemchuk had spent many years preserving the memory of her husband, regularly visiting the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, the memorial dedicated to him, and his symbolic grave at Mytyn Cemetery.
The couple raised two children, and Khodemchuk leaves behind grandchildren. She left her family with photographs, stories, and recollections connected to the Chornobyl tragedy and the anniversary projects she took part in.
The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 4,000 people have died since the Chornobyl disaster due to acute radiation symptoms, thyroid cancer, or radiation-induced leukemia.
Kyiv, Moscow reach deal on prisoner exchange to free 1,200 Ukrainians
As a result of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, the two sides have agreed to move forward with the Istanbul-based agreements and carry out the release of 1,200 Ukrainian prisoners, National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov said on Telegram on Nov. 15.
Umerov held consultations mediated by Turkey and the United Arab Emirates over the last few days to restart the exchange process and secure the release of Ukrainians held in Russian captivity.
He noted that the talks produced a clear commitment to activate the Istanbul framework to facilitate the swap.
Technical consultations will take place soon to finalize the procedural and organizational steps needed for the exchange.
"We are working without pause so that Ukrainians who are to return from captivity can celebrate New Year's and Christmas at home, at the family table and with their loved ones," Umerov said.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022, Kyiv has brought home more than 5,800 people from Russian captivity through exchanges, Zelensky said in July.
Kyiv has long advocated for an "all-for-all" exchange, a proposal Russia has rejected.
Russian military reportedly executes 2 Ukrainian POWs in Zaporizhzhia Oblast
Russian troops reportedly shot dead two captured Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers on the outskirts of the settlement of Zatyshshia in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, according to the Ukrainian mapping and analytical organization Deep State, which reported the incident on Nov. 15.
The killing of prisoners of war (POWs) violates the Geneva Conventions and is considered a serious international war crime. The incident is not an isolated case: Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) said in May that it has documented more than 150 cases of Ukrainian soldiers being summarily executed after surrendering to Russian forces.
Deep State posted a video allegedly showing the moment two Ukrainian soldiers were shot and added: "Unfortunately, the enemy's infiltration is gaining new dimensions, and being five kilometers from the front line does not protect you from meeting the enemy's infantry. Especially when the front is on one side, and the bastards came from the back."
At the same time, Deep State reported that the killers were eliminated by an FPV drone about 20 minutes later.
Ukraine's Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reacted to the reports, which "became known from social media," and condemned the alleged murders near Zatyshshia committed by Russian forces. He emphasized that this was another deliberate action by Russia aimed at intimidation and a demonstrative disregard for international humanitarian law.
"Such killings are not isolated cases — they demonstrate the systemic criminal behavior of the aggressor state," Lubinets stressed.
He said he had already sent official letters to the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations in connection with the incident.
The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine confirmed in March growing numbers of incidents in which Russian forces killed or maimed surrendering Ukrainian troops.
Ukraine strikes major oil refinery in Russia’s Samara Oblast, hits elite Rubikon drone base
Ukrainian forces struck the Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery in Russia’s Samara Oblast and a drone storage site belonging to Russia’s elite Rubikon unit, Ukraine's General Staff reported on Nov. 16.
The Novokuibyshevsk refinery, operated by the Rosneft oil company, is one of Russia's 10 largest refineries, with an annual production capacity of 8.8 million metric tons of oil. The plant produces gasoline, diesel fuel, and fuel oil, including jet fuel used by supersonic aircraft.
The refinery was targeted by Ukrainian forces, resulting in explosions and a fire in the area. The extent of the damage is still being assessed, the General Staff said. They also highlighted that footage of the strikes shows the launch of Ukraine's new "Bars" jet drones.
Russian air defenses reportedly intercepted 23 Ukrainian drones over Samara Oblast on the night of Nov. 16, according to Russia’s Defense Ministry.
Samara Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev confirmed an attack on the region’s infrastructure, stating that the strike was repelled.
According to the Ukrainian military news site Militarnyi, this marks the sixth Ukrainian attack on the same refinery. A previous strike, which occurred overnight on Oct. 18-19, led to the suspension of its operations.
A drone storage base operated by Russia’s Rubikon unit, along with a fuel and lubricants pumping station in the temporarily occupied Donetsk Oblast, was also hit.
The General Staff also provided an update on damage assessments from a recent strike on the Ryazan oil refinery, which occurred on Nov. 15. The attack damaged the ELOU-AVT-4 and ELOU-AVT-6 primary oil processing units, along with a fuel storage tank and pipeline trestles.
Russian assault on key Dnipropetrovsk Oblast village repelled, Ukraine says
Russian forces launched an armored assault on Novopavlivka, a front-line village on strategic high ground along the Dnipropetrovsk-Donetsk oblast border that has for months blocked Russian attempts to push deeper into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
Using poor weather and low visibility, they tried to break through, but Ukrainian forces said they repelled the attack.
On Nov. 14, under the cover of thick November fog, Russian forces "established a pontoon crossing between Yalta and Dachnyi and transported about 10 units of equipment," reported the Ukrainian mapping and analytical group Deep State.
According to DeepState, the Russian soldiers managed to disperse the troops in the central and southern parts of the village, where they then took shelter in basements.
In some areas, Russian forces breached Ukrainian defenses, the 42nd Mechanized Brigade confirmed to the Ukrainian military news site Militarnyi. "The occupiers infiltrated our positions. However, first-person view (FPV) drones, particularly from the 'Perun' drone battalion of the 42nd Mechanized Brigade, responded quickly to activity near the deployment site," the statement said.
The 9th Army Corps also released a video showing the destruction of Russian armored vehicles during an attempted assault by the units of the 42nd Mechanized Brigade and the 46th Airmobile Brigade.
"The assault resulted in significant losses of both equipment and personnel for the enemy. A series of clearing operations are underway. The situation is under the control of the Defense Forces," they stated.
Currently, whether or not any Russian troops succeeded in digging in inside Novopavlivka is unclear.
Lying on the edge of an area of strategic high ground, the village of Novopavlivka and the fortified area around it have blocked Russian attempts to push deeper into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast along this section of the regional border with Donetsk Oblast for months.
But as the Ukrainian defense of the entire front line has become increasingly strained over the fall fighting season, Russian forces have been pressing forward — helped by favorable weather conditions — especially further south in eastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
Note from the author:
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