Searcher Yukov was posthumously named a Hero of Ukraine
On August 24, Volodymyr Zelenskyy posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine to Oleksiy Yukov, the head of the “Platsdarm” search team from Sloviansk. Yukov died on August 5 in the Donetsk region during a mission to search for and recover the bodies of the fallen, having dedicated more than 25 years to this cause.
This is stated in a decree on the president’s website. The head of the search team was awarded the title of Hero “for the civic courage displayed while carrying out activities to ensure Ukraine’s defense, his outstanding personal contribution to preserving the memory of Ukraine’s fallen defenders, and his selfless service to the Ukrainian people.”
Oleksiy Yukov died on August 5, 2026, in the Lyman community in Donetsk Oblast, while returning from another mission—searching for the fallen—when his car hit a mine. He was 40 years old.
Oleksiy Yukov was born on September 9, 1985, in Sloviansk, Donetsk Oblast. He lived and studied there, participated in sports, and was involved in community activities. He was a Muay Thai coach and had an interest in history.
Yukov began searching for the remains of the fallen at the age of 13. Initially, he worked with the remains of soldiers who died during World War II. In an interview with Suspilne Donbas, he said that he had been searching for those killed in war for over 25 years.
After the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war in 2014, Yukov began searching for the fallen on modern battlefields. He founded the search group “Platsdarm,” which operated directly in combat zones—at battle sites, near the front lines, and in areas hit by shelling.
In 2014, Yukov participated in the search for and recovery of the bodies of Ukrainian soldiers who died during the battles for Ilovaisk. The search team also retrieved the bodies of fallen Russian soldiers from the battlefield, which were later handed over for an exchange.
After the full-scale invasion began, the group’s work continued. According to Yukov, during this time, “Platsdarm” found approximately 2,000 deceased Ukrainian soldiers and civilians. He himself called the search for the deceased his life’s work.
In 2024, the president awarded Yukov the “Golden Heart” medal.
On August 5, 2026, Oleksiy Yukov was killed in the Lyman community in the Donetsk region. He was 40 years old.
Source: Official website of the President of Ukraine
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