Participant in the regional contest “Young Person of the Year – 2026” “Heart of Victory” category: Kira Zhurba
Kira Zhurba made the most important decision of her life when she was just 15 years old. While her peers were dreaming of the future, she waited for news from her father, a police officer, in war-torn Avdiivka, and, together with her mother, sewed flags for Ukrainian defenders. A native of the village of Novoeekonomichne in the Hrodivska community of Donetsk Oblast, she realized from an early age that love for one’s homeland is measured by actions.
After enduring a forced evacuation, Kira channeled her pain into the fight. She taught young people about military and patriotic service and later became the evacuation coordinator and head of the rapid response team for the organization CNG Ukraine. She rescued civilians from frontline areas and was the first to arrive at the sites of rocket strikes in Dnipro.
Kira’s voice also resonated loudly at the national level. She joined the Donetsk Regional Youth Congress and represented the interests of the region’s youth in the Chamber of Youth Congresses under the President of Ukraine, steadfastly reminding the world of the indomitable spirit of her homeland.
However, her calling to defend her home proved stronger than anything else. In 2026, Kira voluntarily signed a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine and joined the ranks of the 63rd Separate Mechanized Brigade, “Steel Lions.”