Oleksiy Yukov, Ukraine recovery volunteer, mourned in Kyiv

Oleksiy Yukov, a Ukrainian volunteer known for recovering bodies from dangerous areas near the front, was mourned in Kyiv after his family said he was killed by a mine during a mission.

Yukov, 40, led the volunteer organisation Platsdarm, which retrieved bodies and searched for clues to identify the dead during Russia's invasion of Ukraine. His remains were brought to Volodymyrska Cathedral in central Kyiv, where a few hundred people gathered on Saturday for a farewell ceremony.

His adopted daughter Diana said his last words were, “I'm leaving.” She said Yukov often took calls from mothers and promised to bring their loved ones back.

Yukov had worked for years recovering the dead, including in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region. Ukrainian media reported that his team had recovered thousands of bodies during the conflict.

At the ceremony, Olena Tropina, a widow who said Yukov had helped return her husband's body, said he had brought peace to families of the missing.