The Kyiv City Council is being asked to posthumously honor Uncle Sasha, the janitor who saved a child during a terrorist attack

Residents of the capital have launched a petition calling for official recognition of the heroic act of Oleksandr Hryhorovych Perga, known to his neighbors as “Uncle Sasha.” During the terrorist attack on April 18 in the Holosiivskyi district, he shielded a child with his own body, saving the child at the cost of his own life. 

This initiative on the Kyiv City Council website has already gathered half of the required 6,000 signatures.

The author of the petition, Anastasia Magonova, proposes erecting a memorial plaque at the site of the tragedy on Demiivska Street and posthumously awarding Oleksandr Perga a city honor. Oleksandr Hryhorovych is remembered as an exceptionally kind person: since 2021, he had worked at ZHED-103, planted trees with his own hands, and dreamed of celebrating victory over Russia at a large table together with his neighbors. In memory of the hero, the building’s residents plan to plant an orchard in the courtyard and care for the cat he looked after.

Currently, a petition on the Kyiv City Council website continues to gather signatures for further consideration by city authorities. The heroic act of an ordinary utility worker has become a symbol of self-sacrifice and humanity for Kyiv residents amid constant threats. 

The attack took place on Saturday, April 18, when 58-year-old Dmytro Vasylchenkov opened fire on passersby on Demiivska Street, after which he took hostages at the “Velmart” supermarket. As a result of the attack, seven people were killed, and about 15 others were injured to varying degrees. 

A young supermarket employee was killed in the attack in Kyiv.