48-year-old Valerii Kirnos was killed by Russian shelling on July 3, 2022, in Sloviansk. He was sitting in a gazebo with his wife, Olha, when an enemy shell struck their yard, killing them both.
Valerii was born in Sloviansk and graduated from Vocational School No. 56. He worked as a welder at the boiler house of Slovianskteplomerezha, where he was respected as a skilled specialist and a jack-of-all-trades. He worked tirelessly to achieve his dream of owning his own home.
Valerii and Olha had been married for over 20 years and raised two children together. At the time of the shelling, their adult son, Danylo, and underage daughter, Nastia, were inside the house, which saved their lives.
"They helped me a lot around the house and in the garden—harvesting crops, making preserves. Valerii sometimes traveled for work. He did everything for his family and children, for our shared well-being," recalled Valerii's mother-in-law.
The Kirnos couple was laid to rest at the Northern Cemetery in Sloviansk. Valerii is survived by his son, daughter, and other relatives.
At 9:00 AM — the national minute of silence. The Donetsk Regional Military Administration and the "Memorial: Killed by Russia" platform honor the residents of Donetsk Oblast killed by Russian forces.