“The Work of Oleksiy Yukov Must Continue: Every Deceased Person Has the Right to a Dignified Burial” — His Beatitude Sviatoslav
On August 26, at the UGCC Patriarchal Center in Kyiv, His Beatitude Sviatoslav met with Yevheniya Kaluhina, the wife of the late Oleksiy Yukov, head of the “Platsdarm” search and rescue team. Also participating in the meeting were Artur Simeyko, a member of the “Platsdarm” search and rescue team, and Anastasia Holishevska, president of the “M. I. S. T. Foundation” charitable foundation.
The meeting took place two days after Oleksiy Yukov was posthumously named a Hero of Ukraine on August 24, Ukraine’s Independence Day. Oleksiy died on August 5, 2026, in the Lyman community in Donetsk Oblast while returning from another mission to search for the fallen. The search team’s vehicle struck a mine. He was 40 years old. His Beatitude Sviatoslav personally knew the late head of “Platsdarm” and supported his search-and-rescue mission. His wife, Yevheniya, along with their children, received the state award from the President of Ukraine.
The main focus of the meeting was honoring the deceased and the fallen and restoring their dignity through the search for, return, and burial of their remains.
Yevheniya Kaluhina spoke about the continuation of the “Platsdarm” mission following her husband’s death. According to her, the people who worked alongside Oleksiy Yukov decided not to cease his work but to continue carrying out search-and-rescue missions.
“We also uphold all the agreements he made and will not change them. I think it’s very important that the work he started continues,” noted Yevheniya Kaluhina.
The meeting participants discussed the difficult conditions under which search teams are working in eastern Ukraine, as well as the need to support the “Platsdarm” team and the families of the fallen volunteers.
“We must support the very idea behind your work, 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, return, and burial of the fallen is not only a humanitarian but also a deeply Christian endeavor.
“There is an internationally recognized rule: a war does not end until the last soldier has been buried. By paying our last tribute 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 be remembered but also to a dignified burial.
“We, as Christians, have a duty to bury the deceased. It is not enough just to honor their name or light a candle in front of a photograph. Every person who has died or perished has the right to a Christian burial. This is a fundamental human right,” the Head of the Church emphasized.
According to him, this honor does not depend on the nationality, ideology, or military affiliation of the deceased.
“When we find human remains, we do not ask where that person came from, what nationality they belonged to, or what ideology they upheld. We see human remains that deserve 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.
“For families, having the body of their loved one returned home is extremely important. 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 inhumane circumstances, a person remains a human being,” he said.
Anastasia Holishevska emphasized that the families of those killed and 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 left alone. We cannot reach everyone at once, but we must point to specific stories that show these people are important and that someone is fighting for them,” she said.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav assured representatives of “Platsdarm” of his support for their work and emphasized that the work founded by Oleksiy Yukov must not come to a halt.
“The people who are continuing this unique mission must be supported so that it can move forward. What they are doing is a precious treasure of our humanity,” concluded the Head of the UGCC.
At the end of the meeting, Anastasia Holishevska presented His Beatitude Sviatoslav with lists of Ukrainian civilians currently detained in Russian prisons. The Head of the UGCC noted that such lists and appeals from families are being forwarded through available channels, in particular through Vatican diplomatic channels.
The UGCC Department for Information
