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Ukraine Posthumously Honors Volunteer Oleksiy Yukov

8/8/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Ukraine posthumously honored volunteer Oleksiy Yukov, 40, after a landmine explosion killed him on Aug. 5 in Donetsk.
Thousands attended an Orthodox service at Kyiv’s Cathedral of Saint Volodymyr, with mourners also gathering at Maidan Square.
Yukov founded Platsdarm to recover Ukrainian, Russian and civilian war dead, using drones, metal detectors and bomb-disposal experts despite having lost an eye and a leg in a 2022 mine blast.

History

Historical Context

After the Ottawa Treaty opened for signature on 3 December 1997, 122 nations signed and by August 2025 162 states had ratified it, leading to the destruction of over 48 million stockpiled mines. Though the United States, Russia and China stay outside, Ukraine announced its withdrawal in June 2025 amid Russian mine use, a backdrop to volunteer Oleksiy Yukov’s drone-assisted de-mining after the 5 August blast near Donetsk.

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Story summary

Ukraine posthumously honored volunteer Oleksiy Yukov, 40, after a landmine explosion killed him on Aug. 5 in Donetsk.
Thousands attended an Orthodox service at Kyiv’s Cathedral of Saint Volodymyr, with mourners also gathering at Maidan Square.
Yukov founded Platsdarm to recover Ukrainian, Russian and civilian war dead, using drones, metal detectors and bomb-disposal experts despite having lost an eye and a leg in a 2022 mine blast.

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