33-year-old soldier Valerii Rostovskyi was killed on February 9, 2025, near the village of Zelene Pole in the Volnovakha district. During a combat mission at his position, he received fatal injuries as a result of an enemy drone attack.
Valerii was born on July 23, 1991, in the city of Pokrovsk. He had a vocational education, and from the age of 18 worked at the “Pokrovske” mining administration. He loved his job and only left it when the fighting drew dangerously close. In his free time, he enjoyed fishing. He was a member of the Shakhtar football fan club and traveled to different cities of Ukraine to support the team.
When the full-scale invasion began, Valerii’s wife and children moved to Dnipro. He himself agreed to leave Donetsk region only in August 2024. Almost immediately after relocating, he got a job at Nova Poshta.
“He held onto hope until the very end that the city would endure, that the war would end. He was lucky with work: Valerii had a cheerful, sociable character, so he quickly found common ground with his colleagues. Compared to the mine, the job at the post office was, of course, much easier physically. He worried he wouldn’t manage with computers and programs, but he mastered everything quickly. He was kind, not quarrelsome, but strong-willed and stubborn. At work, he was remembered as a cheerful man who never complained about life’s difficulties. Still, he dreamed of returning to his true calling — working in the mine. And he very much wanted to buy his own home, as far away as possible from the front line and Donbas. In the east, he never felt safe. Having already lost everything once, he did not want it to happen again. His motivation was to provide his children with everything they needed and protect them,” his wife Kateryna shared.
Valerii was mobilized in September 2024. After training, he became an assistant mortar operator in the 236th Separate Battalion of the 129th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade. From late October, he was already taking part in battles: Mezhove, Iskra, Novovasylivka, Kostiantynivka, Zelene Pole.
“He said their position was quite far from the ‘zero line,’ the guys were good, and the work they were doing was important. Valerka was a mortar gunner. His commanders praised him, saying he was accurate and skilled in targeting. He told me that the first mission was terrifying: two APCs drove up to their position. Instead of retreating, they opened fire — and managed to repel the attack. After that, it was still frightening, but only a fool isn’t afraid there,” his wife added.
Valerii was laid to rest in the city of Dnipro.
He is survived by his wife Kateryna, daughter Karina, and son Rostyslav.
At 9:00 a.m. — the nationwide moment of silence. Donetsk Regional Military Administration and the Memorial of Heroes platform honor the fallen defenders from Donetsk region.