Lieutenant Colonel Vadym Shumenko was killed on May 8, 2022, in Mariupol as a result of an enemy airstrike with a thermobaric bomb on the Azovstal plant. He was 51 years old.
Vadym was born on March 17, 1971, in Mariupol and studied at School No. 33. He loved basketball and judo and was interested in military history and World War II.
“We met on September 1, 1978, when we started first grade. We were seated at the same desk and immediately became friends. We studied together for ten years, liked each other, were friends, and later dated. After school we entered different universities, but in our second year, in 1989, we got married,” recalled Iryna.
After graduating from the Kharkiv Higher Military Aviation School of Radio Electronics with a degree in radio engineering, Vadym was assigned to military unit A1470. In 1995, he transferred to the 1st Donetsk Border Detachment, where he rose from communications platoon lieutenant to lieutenant colonel—head of the armaments and technical support department.
“From 2015 to 2018, he was repeatedly one step away from death. He said that dying in battle is not frightening; what is frightening is if death is meaningless and a neighboring state captures the country. He warned that a major war was inevitable,” his wife said.
For his service, he was awarded the badge “Excellent Border Guard” (1st Class), the medals “For Impeccable Service” (1st Class), “Veteran of Service,” and the Presidential distinction “For Participation in the Anti-Terrorist Operation.”
“I was proud that my dad was aserviceman. In elementary school I often ran out to see him during breaks when he went home for lunch. The children were impressed by his uniform—tall, well-built, dignified. I always said, ‘This is my dad; he’s an officer,’” said his daughter Yuliia.
“Dad taught me to play chess, ride a bicycle, swim, and dive. He had incredible patience and tact. We loved swimming together in our Azov Sea,” said his daughter Viktoriia.
From February 28, 2022, Vadym prepared operational proposals, was responsible for guarding the main gates of Azovstal, and oversaw logistics.
“The first day of the invasion was the last time we saw each other. He left at dawn. We asked what we should do, but I just looked into his eyes and saw that he was ready to accept his fate. He said he would fight so that his children would never have to repeat this—because it was his calling,” Iryna shared.=
For some time there as no contact. When the family managed to leave the city, communication resumed. Vadym wrote little about himself, asking more about his loved ones. Only once did he say that their situation was “hell on earth, where every meter is on fire.”
His last message was sent on May 7: he asked not to grieve for him but to remember him with bright joy, saying that life would continue in grandchildren he did not have time to see.
“We lived together for almost 33 years and raised three chldren. He was everything to me—my beloved, husband, friend, partner, father, and head of the family. Strong character, firm convictions, modesty, kindness, empathy. Deep, intelligent, perceptive. He loved home, comfort, and quiet,” said Iryna.
“Before the war we talked a lot. He gave me countless pieces of advice for life. He said, ‘When I’m gone, you’ll remember my words.’ For me, he is an absolute authority,” said his son Mykhailo.
The officer’s body was returned to Ukraine in June 2022 during an exchange. He was laid to rest on November 30 in the memorial section of Lisove Cemetery in Kyiv.
Posthumously, Vadym Shumenko was promoted to the rank of colonel and awarded the Order “For Courage” (3rd Class).
He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and a son.
At 9:00 a.m. — a nationwide minute of silence. The Donetsk Regional Military Administration and the Heroes Memorial platform honor the fallen defenders from Donetsk Oblast.