Heartbreaking Loss: Ukrainian Mother and Three Children Killed in Russian Strike on Zelensky’s Hometown

In a devastating missile attack on Monday, a Ukrainian mother and her three young children lost their lives as a Russian strike hit their home in Kryvyi Rih. The sole survivor of the family, Maksym Kulyk, endured the unimaginable, now left to mourn his wife and children in the midst of the relentless conflict that continues to grip the nation.

The attack, which destroyed a section of a five-story residential building, claimed the lives of Olena Kulyk, 32, her two sons, Kyrylo, 10, and Demyd, 2, and her infant daughter, Ulyana, who was just two months old. Maksym had only survived because he was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for his family. At their joint funeral, Maksym expressed his overwhelming sorrow, saying, “I don’t want to live. Today I was supposed to be with you.”

The tragic event has brought renewed sorrow to the city of Kryvyi Rih, which is just 70 kilometers from the front line. In recent weeks, the city has been repeatedly targeted in missile attacks, with residential areas bearing the brunt of the violence. The UN children’s agency UNICEF reported that incidents like this are becoming “the norm” in Ukraine, with several children killed and many more injured in the recent wave of strikes.

Olena had been on maternity leave from her position at Steel Service, a subsidiary of ArcelorMittal. Maksym described her as his “support and strength,” while Kyrylo, a bright and spirited ten-year-old who loved reading and soccer, was remembered by his school as a “joy to everyone around him.” Maksym’s youngest son, Demyd, was just beginning to speak, and Ulyana, the family’s youngest, had been their newest blessing.

The unending attacks have intensified the suffering for Ukrainians, with UNICEF noting that children are especially vulnerable in this conflict. Kryvyi Rih’s tragic day of mourning has underscored the severe impact the war has on civilians. First Lady Olena Zelenska, speaking of the tragedy, urged Ukraine’s allies to provide timely assistance, emphasizing that “children must live.”

As Ukraine marks 1,000 days since the full-scale invasion, the Kulyk family’s tragic story highlights the heavy toll the ongoing conflict continues to take. The call for global solidarity is urgent as Ukrainians, already weary from the ongoing violence, brace for an uncertain future.