Kyiv residents are proposing to award an honorary prize to the janitor who shielded a child from bullets
A petition has been posted on the official website of the Kyiv City Council calling for a fitting tribute to the heroic act of Oleksandr Hryhorovych Perha, a resident of the Holosiivskyi district.
The man, known locally as “Uncle Sasha,” died during a brutal terrorist attack on Demiivska Street while shielding a 12-year-old boy with his own body.
The tragic incident unfolded on April 18, 2026, in one of the capital’s residential neighborhoods. Oleksandr Perga, who worked as a janitor, did not try to find a safe place for himself during the attack.
Seeing the child in danger, he immediately rushed to help and shielded the boy with his own body.
Thanks to the man’s heroic act, the young Kyiv resident managed to survive, but the rescuer himself sustained fatal injuries. Doctors fought desperately to save Oleksandr Hryhorovych’s life for 24 hours, but were unable to save him.
“His act is an example of courage, humanity, and self-sacrifice. In the face of mortal danger, he protected a child by sacrificing his own life,” notes the author of petition No. 14198.
The public insists that the Kyiv city government officially recognize this act of exceptional heroism.
The petition proposes erecting a memorial sculpture or plaque directly at the site of the tragedy on Demiivska Street. This will preserve the story of his self-sacrifice for future generations of city residents.
In addition to the architectural tribute, the signatories are asking that Oleksandr Perza be posthumously awarded an honorary award from the city of Kyiv.
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