Teacher evacuated from occupied Oleshky dies in Kyiv hospital

Olena Pyrozhenko, a 56-year-old former physical education teacher, died in a Kyiv hospital on 6 November, days after being evacuated from Oleshky, a town under Russian occupation. She had impaired motor functions. The news was relayed to Suspilne Kherson by Nadiia Shtanko, acting head of Oleshky Educational Institution No. 4.

Pyrozhenko was taken out of the town by ambulance in late October as part of a humanitarian mission. Her husband had died under the occupation in spring 2026.

Former colleagues wrote that her heart, exhausted by the struggle, stopped in the Kyiv hospital. They said she had wanted to live and be near her loved ones, but the pain she had endured proved too much. She is remembered as a kind, sincere and considerate person who always kept her word, and her school says her pupils loved her.

Before teaching, Pyrozhenko was a professional athlete. She held the rank of Candidate for Master of Sports in athletics and competed for the USSR national team. Colleagues described her as energetic and smiling, always ready to help with advice or a kind word, and said she taught children to keep moving forward and not give in to difficulties.

Background to the evacuation

In late October, a humanitarian operation enabled nearly 800 residents of Oleshky to leave. Most were brought to Ukraine via Russia and Belarus. Some of those evacuated are now being discharged from hospitals, while the rest continue to receive comprehensive assistance.

Animal rights activists are also caring for animals evacuated from the town. The organisation UAnimals is looking after 88 animals, including cats and dogs suffering from exhaustion; some have concussion or suspected tumours.