Ukraine has honored Oleksiy Yukov, a volunteer known as a “collector of souls,” after he was killed while recovering the bodies of those who died in the war. Yukov led the body-recovery group Platsdarm, according to reports, and had devoted his work to finding and identifying fallen soldiers.
His work involved recovering war dead and helping return remains to families. Ukrainians remembered him as someone who sought to give unknown soldiers a name and ensure that those killed in the conflict were treated with dignity.
The circumstances of his death were reported by his wife and in coverage of his funeral and public farewell. His death highlights the dangers faced by volunteers who work near battlefields and in areas affected by the fighting, as well as the continuing effort to account for the war dead.