Oleksii Shurko’s life was taken by a Russian attack. On April 8, 2026, he was driving along the Sloviansk–Kramatorsk highway when his car was struck by an enemy FPV drone. Oleksii sustained severe injuries and died in a hospital in Kharkiv on April 10. He was 56 years old.
Oleksii was born on February 28, 1970, in Donetsk. He studied at School No. 57 and completed his compulsory military service in the Air Defense Forces. He earned higher engineering and technical education in two specialties at Donetsk Polytechnic Institute. Later, he graduated from another university with a degree in “Economics and Enterprise Management.”
He worked as a chief engineer and held senior positions at several industrial enterprises in Donetsk, including Tochmash PJSC and Donetskspecialstal LLC.
In 2014, when Donetsk was occupied by Russian militants, Oleksii relocated to Sloviansk. For several years, he worked at the municipal enterprise “Slovmiskvodokanal” — first as chief engineer and later as генеральний director. In 2021, he became the head of the regional utility company “Water of Donbas,” and from 2022 worked there as chief engineer. He was awarded the Presidential distinction — the medal “For the Defense of Ukraine.”
“Our father was extremely hardworking and responsible. His engineering solutions repeatedly helped overcome problems on a regional scale. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, he was almost constantly at work, even on weekends visiting facilities,” said his elder son Petro. “He always helped people, even strangers. He was very well-read, enjoyed hunting, loved family walks, and had a kind sense of humor. For my younger brother and me, he will forever remain a superhero.”
Oleksii Shurko was buried at Zhuliany Cemetery in Kyiv. He is survived by his two sons.
At 9:00 a.m. — the national moment of silence. Donetsk Regional Military Administration and the Memorial platform: killed by Russia commemorate the residents of Donetsk region killed by Russian forces.