The Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Discussed the Extension of Yukov's Mission
On August 26, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, met at the UGCC Patriarchal Center in Kyiv with Yevheniia Kalugina, the wife of the late Oleksiy Yukov, leader of the “Platsdarm” search and rescue team.
During the meeting, the parties discussed future work and the continuation of the “Platsdarm” mission following the death of its leader. Yukov was killed on August 5 in the Donetsk region when the vehicle in which he was returning from a mission hit a landmine.
Also participating in the meeting were Artur Simeyko, a search team member of “Platsdarm,” and Anastasia Golishevska, chair of the “M. I. S. T. Foundation” charitable foundation.
“The work of Oleksiy Yukov must continue: every person who has died has the right to a dignified burial,” noted His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
The meeting took place after Yukov was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine on August 24, Ukraine’s Independence Day. He died on August 5, 2026, in the Lyman community in Donetsk Oblast while returning from another mission to search for the deceased. The search team’s vehicle struck a landmine. He was 40 years old. His Beatitude Sviatoslav personally knew the late head of “Platsdarm” and supported his search-and-rescue mission. His wife, Yevheniia, along with their children, received the state award from the President of Ukraine.
The main theme of the meeting was honoring the deceased and the fallen, as well as restoring their dignity through the search, recovery, and burial of their remains.
Kalugina spoke about the continuation of “Platsdarm’s” mission following her husband’s death. According to her, the people who worked alongside Yukov decided not to abandon his work and to continue carrying out search-and-rescue missions.
“We also support all the agreements he made and are not changing them. I think it’s very important that the work he started continues,” Kalugina noted.
The meeting participants discussed the difficult conditions under which search teams operate in eastern Ukraine, as well as the need to support the “Platsdarm” team and the families of the fallen volunteers.
“We must support you ideologically, because not everyone today understands the importance of the mission to honor the fallen—regardless of which war they died in or on which side they fought,” noted His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
The head of the UGCC emphasized that the search for, exhumation, repatriation, and burial of the fallen is not only a humanitarian endeavor but also a deeply Christian one.
“There is an internationally recognized rule: a war does not end until the last soldier has been buried. By paying our final respects to all the fallen, we bring the end of the war closer,” he said.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav emphasized that the Christian understanding of the human person encompasses the unity of soul and body; therefore, a deceased person has the right not only to have their memory preserved but also to a dignified burial.
“We, as Christians, have a duty to bury the deceased. It is not enough merely to honor their name or place a candle before a photograph. Every person who has died or perished has the right to a Christian burial. This is a fundamental human right,” emphasized the head of the UGCC.
According to him, this respect does not depend on the nationality, ideology, or military affiliation of the deceased.
“When we find human remains, we do not ask where this person came from, what nationality they belonged to, or what ideology they professed. We see human remains that demand our respect,” noted His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
The head of the UGCC also drew attention to the suffering of families who, for years, have been unable to bury their loved ones.
“It is very important for relatives that the body of their loved one be returned home. This is a matter of respect for the feelings of fathers, mothers, wives, and children. We must do everything possible to ensure that even in inhuman circumstances, a person remains a human being,” he said.
Holyshevska, head of the “M. I. S. T. Foundation” charity, emphasized that the families of the deceased and those missing in action need not only one-time assistance but also ongoing attention and support.
“It is very important that people who have lost hope and are facing many other problems at the same time feel that they are not abandoned. We cannot reach everyone at once, but we must use specific stories to show that these people matter and that others are fighting for them,” she said.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav assured representatives of “Platsdarm” of his support for their work and emphasized that the cause initiated by Yukov must not come to a halt.
“The people who are continuing this unique mission need our support so that it can move forward. What they are doing is a treasure of our humanity,” concluded the head of the UGCC.
At the end of the meeting, Holishevska handed His Beatitude Sviatoslav lists of the names of Ukrainian civilians currently held in Russian prisons. The head of the UGCC noted that such lists and appeals from families are being transmitted through available channels, in particular through Vatican diplomacy.
This was reported by the UGCC.
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