Oleksii Halionka, a 72-year-old Ukrainian educator and philologist, was killed on 3 January 2025 when a Russian missile hit his home in Chernihiv.
The attack, involving three ballistic missiles, struck residential areas, killing Halionka, injuring four others, and damaging several homes.
Halionka had already suffered significant losses in 2022 when Russian forces destroyed his family home, along with a personal library of 4,000 books and other belongings. Since then, he had been living in a small building on the same property.
“He had big plans for life this year, including building a new house,” his niece Liudmyla Halionka said in an interview with local media outlet Cheline. “He was a very kind and sensitive person. It’s a great loss for our family, for everyone.”
A well-known educator, Halionka authored over 100 publications and was an associate professor at the Regional Institute of Postgraduate Pedagogical Education.
Local authorities confirmed the missiles targeted civilian infrastructure, leaving parts of the neighborhood heavily damaged.
Chernihiv Oblast, situated on Ukraine's northern border with Russia, was partially occupied during the early stages of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Although Russian forces withdrew from the region in April 2022, Chernihiv Oblast remained under near-daily attack due to its proximity to the border in the following two years.
Martina Sapio
(Updated: )
