"When they killed Masha, they killed part of me too": a Ukrainian soldier's loss

Danylo Zhyvenko serves as a combat medic with Ukraine's 3rd Separate Assault Brigade. He volunteered to defend his country, knowing that going to war meant leaving his wife Masha behind at home.

While Danylo carried out his duties under combat conditions, his 29-year-old wife waited for him in Kyiv, hoping for his safe return from the front. But the war reached the capital as well: a drone struck the building housing Masha's office, and she was killed.

The news shattered Danylo's world. According to the soldier, the moment his wife was killed, a part of him died along with her. A single second, occurring far from the front line, changed the entire course of his life.

The story of Danylo and Masha reflects a reality faced by many Ukrainian families, where one partner serves in the army while the other remains at home — often exposed to just as much danger as soldiers at the front. Drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, continue to claim civilian lives even far from active fighting.

Danylo's experience shows that the war leaves no family member untouched — not even those who stay behind while a loved one defends the country at the front. The loss he has endured serves as a reminder of the devastation caused by the war, extending far beyond the front line and affecting every part of Ukrainian society.