Oleksandr Kochura was killed during Russia's full-scale invasion in Mariupol. He was on Morskyi Boulevard when the area came under heavy shelling.
"It happened on April 18 or 19, 2022, at School No. 56 near Azovstal. He and our mother were sheltering in the basement. Most likely, there was an airstrike, and the concrete floors collapsed. Our mother was killed under the rubble immediately, while my brother survived for some time afterward," recalled Serhii Kochura.
Oleksandr was 58 years old. He was born in Nalchik, Russia, but spent his life in Mariupol, Ukraine. He worked at the Illich Iron and Steel Works. He enjoyed repairing cars and had previously been passionate about aeromodelling and motorized hang gliders, as he had originally trained as a pilot. In recent years, he had been retired.
Oleksandr is survived by his son and his brother and his family.
At 9:00 a.m., Ukraine observes the National Minute of Silence. The Donetsk Regional Military Administration and the Memorial: Victims Killed by Russia platform honor the memory of the residents of the Donetsk region killed by Russian forces.