According to local reports, a mother and her two-month-old son were among the victims of a significant bombing in Ukraine over the weekend.
Viktoriya Grebenyuk, 32, and her infant son, Roman, were inside their new apartment in the Svyatoshynskyi district of Kyiv when a Russian drone struck the building.
A neighbor noted that the blast was so powerful it seriously injured Grebenyuk’s husband and sent the new mother and her child flying across the apartment. This attack marks one of the most intense assaults of the ongoing conflict.
Grebenyuk was involved with 100% Life, a nonprofit organization in Ukraine that aids people living with HIV, tuberculosis, and hepatitis. The organization shared the heartbreaking news of her death on Facebook, describing her as a person exemplifying “kindness, decency, and professionalism.”
“The war has taken away a wonderful individual, a caring mother, and a promising life,” the statement said. “Everyone who knew her will remember her as a wise leader and loyal friend, with a big heart.” They emphasized that her legacy would endure despite the tragedy.
The nonprofit noted that Grebenyuk graduated from the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy National University and began her volunteering journey in 2014, focusing on teaching English to children at a center for those living with HIV.
She eventually became the head of their program department, providing support to those living with HIV in Kyiv.
A makeshift gathering took place in the Svyatoshynskyi district to remember the mother and her son. Following the severe attacks, massive smoke plumes were visible above Kyiv, where at least four lives were lost in the weekend’s violence.
The assault involved 810 drones and missiles unleashed by Russia, with Ukrainian forces reportedly intercepting over 700 of the drones. Nevertheless, multiple artillery strikes hit over 30 locations, resulting in four fatalities and more than 40 injuries.
Meanwhile, HIV cases in Ukraine have surged since the invasion began in 2022, with European health authorities estimating around 245,000 individuals were affected last year. A friend of Grebenyuk expressed shock at the untimely loss, particularly since she and her family had only recently moved into their new home.
