Altogether, 108 civilian protesters and 13 police officers were killed[1] in Ukraine'sRevolution of Dignity (or the 'Maidan Revolution'), which was the culmination of theEuromaidan protest movement. The deaths occurred in January and February 2014; most of them on 20 February, when police snipers fired on anti-government activists inKyiv. The slain activists are known in Ukraine as theHeavenly Hundred orHeavenly Company (Ukrainian:Небесна сотня,Nebesnasotnia). By June 2016, 55 people had been charged in relation to the deaths of protesters, including 29 former members of theBerkut special police force, tentitushky or loyalists of the former government, and ten former government officials.[1]
On 21 February, the Ukrainian parliament (Verkhovna Rada) passed a law to provide assistance to the families of the protesters who were killed.[2] On 21 November 2014 a decree by the new Ukrainian presidentPetro Poroshenko posthumously awarded the title "Hero of Ukraine" to the slain protesters.[3] Three non-Ukrainian citizens killed in the revolution were each posthumously awarded the title "Knight of the Order of the Heaven's Hundred Heroes".[4] Since 2015, the deaths have been commemorated each year in Ukraine on 20 February, which is "the Day of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes".[5][6]
The first deaths occurred onUnity Day, 22 January, duringriots onHrushevskoho Street inKyiv, where three activists:Serhiy Nigoyan,Mykhailo Zhyznevskyi andRoman Senyk [uk] were shot dead by security forces. On the same day, the dead body of activistYuriy Verbytsky [uk] was found on the city outskirts; he had beenkidnapped a day before withIhor Lutsenko, who was released. These were the first victims to die in demonstrations in Ukraine since it gained national independence in 1991. The deaths causedwidespread protests. On 23 January, then Prime MinisterMykola Azarov in aBBC interview said that police had not been issued firearms, and said no police officers were located on the rooftops around the protest area. He stated that the shooting of protesters was a provocation by extremist forces aimed at escalating violence.[7]Party of Regions MP Arsen Klinchayev stated during a memorial service inLuhansk for those killed on 22 January by police, "These people were against the government. Nobody has the right to use physical force against police officers. And then they have their sticks, then stones, then something else. The police have the right to defend their lives. So I think it's right that these four people were killed. Moreover, I believe that you need to be stricter."[8]
On 18 February, protesters attempted to march from Independence Square to the parliament building, to urge politicians to vote for constitutional amendments. Clashes broke out as their path was blocked by riot police, who tried to push them back to Maidan. Eleven protesters were killed or fatally wounded. Three of them were shot dead by police; the rest died of other injuries. Four police officers were also shot and killed.[1][9]
Later that evening and into the early hours of 19 February, the security forces launched an operation to clear Independence Square. Small groups oftitushky (government loyalists) also gathered nearby. Clashes broke out between the security forces and protesters, resulting in the deaths of seventeen protesters and five police officers. Most of the protesters were shot by police. Two others died when police set the Trade Union building on fire, and another was found dead with his throat slit. A journalist,Viacheslav Veremii, was beaten and shot dead bytitushky for filming them. The five police officers died from gunshot wounds.[1][9]
On the morning of 20 February, riot police massed at the edge of the Maidan camp on Independence Square. At around 9am, two Berkut officers were shot dead. Around the same time, protesters tried to push the security forces away from the Maidan and back up Instytutska Street. The security forces fired indiscriminately on the protesters from ground level, while snipers fired on protesters from above. By midday, 48 protesters had been shot dead on Instytutska Street, as had two other police officers.[1][9] According to the newspaperUkrainska Pravda, special forces (Berkut) andInterior Troops snipers[10] shot at people on Maidan and/or snipers located in nearby buildings, with the special forces firingAK-47 assault rifles.[11] 20 February was the bloodiest day of the clashes, with at least 21 protesters killed.[12][13]
The final death toll from these clashes in late February was 103 protesters and 13 police.[14][15][16] According to DeputyProsecutor General of UkraineOleh Zalisko [uk] in February, 184 people sustained gunshot wounds in Kyiv and over 750 suffered bodily injury.[17] On 20 February, the (then) opposition parties (Batkivshchyna,UDAR andSvoboda) stated "To hold talks with the regime, the policies of which led to the deaths of many people, is an extremely unpleasant thing but we must do everything possible and even the impossible to prevent further bloodshed".[18]
On 21 February, the Maidan held a memorial for the slain protesters who they named the Heavenly Hundred.[19] During the event, a mourningLemko song "A Duckling Swims in the Tysa" was heard (Ukrainian:« Пливе́ ка́ча по Тиси́ні…»).
On 24 February, theVerkhovna Rada (Ukraine's parliament) decided to propose thatthe next Ukrainian president award the title Hero of Ukraine to protesters killed in the clashes.[20]
In June 2016, theProsecutor General of Ukraine announced that forensic examinations had matched bullets removed from the victims' bodies with the assault rifles of theBerkut.[9][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29] In the years since the revolution, the Office of the Prosecutor General has identified 27 Berkut officers involved in the 20 February shootings of protesters. However, in most cases, investigators have been unable to identify which Berkut officer shot specific protesters.
In the immediate aftermath of the revolution, the new government's health minister,Oleh Musiy—a doctor who helped oversee medical treatment for casualties during the protests—told theAssociated Press that the similarity of the bullet wounds suffered by both protesters and police suggested the shooters were trying to stoke tensions on both sides and spark greater violence, with the goal of justifying a Russian invasion. "I think it wasn't just a part of the old regime that (plotted the provocation), but it was also the work of Russian special forces who served and maintained the ideology of the (old) regime," he said, citing forensic evidence.[30]Hennadiy Moskal, former deputy head of theSecurity Service of Ukraine andMinistry of Internal Affairs, suggested that snipers from the Security Service andMilitsiya were responsible, acting on contingency plans dating back toSoviet times: "Snipers received orders to shoot not only protesters, but also police forces. This was all done to escalate the conflict, to justify the police operation to clear Maidan".[31][32] The new Interior Minister,Arsen Avakov, said in March 2014 that the shootings were provoked by a 'non-Ukrainian' third party, and that an investigation was ongoing.[33]
Russian state media reported in March 2014 a leaked telephone call in which Estonia's foreign minister,Urmas Paet, allegedly accused the opposition of shooting both police and protesters.[34] Paet acknowledged the phone call was authentic, but denied blaming the opposition and said he was merely relaying rumors he had heard from a doctor.[35] A spokesperson for the US state department said the leak was "Russiantradecraft".[36] The doctor,Olga Bogomolets, said she had not told Paet that policemen and protesters had been killed in the same way, that she did not blame the opposition for the killings, and said the government told her an investigation had begun.[37]
In April 2014, Ukraine's new interior minister, Avakov, presented the findings of the initial investigation into the shootings. It found the Berkut responsible for shooting the protesters, and identified twelve of the officers involved. It also identified some of the firing positions. Avakov said the previous regime had tried to hinder any inquiry by destroying weapons, uniforms and documents.[38] The investigation also found that more than 30 RussianFederal Security Bureau (FSB) agents were involved in the crackdown on protesters.Valentyn Nalyvaichenko, the interim head of Ukraine's Security Service, said the FSB agents had flown large quantities of explosives into an airport near Kyiv, that they were based at a compound in Kyiv throughout the Maidan protests, were provided with "state telecommunications", and were in regular contact with Yanukovych's security officials. He said that Yanukovych's SBU chiefOleksandr Yakymenko, who had fled the country, held several briefings with the agents. Russia's FSB rejected this as "groundless accusations".[39]
On 31 March 2014,The Daily Beast published photos and videos which appear to show that some of the snipers were members of the Ukrainian Security Service's"Alfa" group, who had been trained in Russia.[40]
In 2015,BBC published a story based on an interview with an unnamed man, who said he fired at riot police from theKyiv Conservatory (music academy) on the morning of 20 February. The sniper said he was recruited by "a retired military officer". These morning shots are said to have provoked return fire from police snipers that resulted in many deaths. One Maidan leader,Andriy Shevchenko, said police commanders called him to say they were being shot from areas controlled by protesters. Another Maidan leader,Andriy Parubiy, said his team searched the Conservatory but found no snipers. He confirmed that many victims on both sides were shot by snipers, but they were shooting from other, taller buildings surrounding the Conservatory and was convinced they were snipers controlled by Russia.[41] In 2016, Maidan protesterIvan Bubenchik admitted having fired on the security forces from the Conservatory on 20 February, killing two Berkut commanders. He said he acted in response to the Berkut shooting at protesters.[42][43]
On 2 April 2014, law enforcement authorities announced they had detained nine officers of the Kyiv City Berkut unit as suspects in the shootings, and verified theAlfa Group's involvement[further explanation needed]. Officials also said they planned further arrests, but had been hindered because the Yanukovych regime destroyed documents and evidence. The Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed that Yanukovych gave the order to fire on protesters on 20 February.[44][45]
Many of the identified alleged perpetrators fled to Russia after the revolution. According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the Russian Federation granted citizenship to 18 police officers suspected of killing protesters, and has refused toextradite them to Ukraine.[9] PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy said in 2020 that prosecutions were difficult because "evidence and documents have been lost, while the scene of the crime has been tampered with and 'cleaned up'". He could not say when those who gave the orders would be found, but gave assurances that the matter is being "dealt with faster than several years ago".[46] Later in 2020, an investigation by theUkrainian Bureau of Investigations concluded that the assault on the Maidan protesters was ordered by Yanukovych and his subordinates.[47]
In 2023, a Ukrainian court convicted three former Berkut police officersin absentia for their part in the killings. The three were in hiding in Russia. Oleh Yanishevsky, a deputy commander of a Berkut regiment, received life imprisonment for murder, while the two others were sentenced to 15 years each for murder.[48][49][50] The court ruled that at least 40 of the 48 protesters were killed by the Berkut. In the remaining eight cases, the perpetrators could not be determined due to lack of evidence.[51] According to theKyiv Independent:
"In many cases, it was impossible to identify which Berkut officer shot specific protesters because they wore face masks or their images in photographs and video footage were of poor quality. ... the court effectively considered the officers' actions individually rather than collectively, thus dropping murder charges where it was impossible to prove which officer killed which protester".[52]
Nationality | Name | Details | Date of death | Cause of death/Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Yuriy Verbytskyi [uk] | Seismologist from the Geophysical Institute inLviv.[53] Member of Lviv's climber society. After his death, the society proposed to name one of the Caucasian mountains after Verbytskyi—the idea was supported by the Georgian climber society, which is currently looking for an unnamed peak.[54] | 21 or 22 January | Verbytskyi was kidnapped from the Oleksandivsky Hospital together withIhor Lutsenko on 21 January.[55] His body was found on 22 January close to the village of Hnidyn inBoryspil Raion, with signs of torture.[56] However, the official cause of death was hypothermia.[57] |
![]() | Pavlo Mazurenko [uk] | Participated inEuromaidan[58] | 21 December 2013 | According to his wife, as reported byUkrayinska Pravda, Pavlo Mazurenko (41 years old) was beaten up on 18 December 2013 by three law enforcement agents inBorshchahivka (Mykilska).[59] According to police, he died as a result of a fight with employees of a private security company who were guarding the Colibris store in Kyiv. Police claimed that Maruenko's wife stated he was not involved in protests.[60] UkrainianUNIAN News Agency interviewed his wife days after, and she commented her husband was beaten by "three men in black uniform and batons [...] more resembling interior ministry servicemen, or a private security company staff". She claimed that the three ran away after beating him.[61] On 21 December, he visited a doctor who sent him to a hospital where he was diagnosed with aconcussion.[59] The day he was hospitalized doctors found fractures to his skull.[59] On 22 December, Mazurenko died and his body was sent for forensic examination, after which he was diagnosed with two-waycontagious bovine pleuropneumonia (lung plaque seen inbovine animals).[59] |
![]() | Serhiy Nigoyan | Born in the village of Bereznuvativka inDnipropetrovsk Oblast.[62] The Nigoyan family moved fromArmenia to Ukraine as refugees of thefirst Nagorno-Karabakh War.[63] Nigoyan came to Euromaidan on 8 December and was mostly involved in security.[62] | 22 January | He died on 22 January during clashes on Hrushevskoho Street. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds during a Berkut attack on the barricades.[62][64][65] On 18 November 2015, according to the head of the Special Investigations Unit, Nigoyan was killed at a distance of not less than three meters, while the security team of the protesters was at a distance of about 30 meters. |
![]() | Mykhailo Zhyznevskyi | Zhyznevskyi leftBelarus for political reasons. In Ukraine, he lived inKyiv and laterBila Tserkva.[66] Was a member of the Ukrainian nationalist group, theUNSO. At Euromaidan, Zhyznevskyi was involved in security.[66] | 22 January | He died on 22 January duringBerkut's action on barricades on Hrushevskoho Street. He was shot in the chest by a sniper.[64][65] His funeral was attended by Euromaidan and opposition leaders; he was buried with the Ukrainian UNA-UNSO and Belarusian flags.[67] |
![]() | Roman Senyk | Senyk was born inLviv Oblast and lived inTurka. | 25 January | During aBerkut action on barricades on Hrushevskoho Street, a grenade tore his hand and left multiple wounds in his lower chest and lungs.[68] Hit with a metal bullet in the lung, he underwent several operations and had to have his arm amputated.[69] After losing more than 3.5 litres of blood, he died in hospital after multiple surgeries.[70] |
![]() | Bohdan Kalyniak | 52 years old fromKolomyia,Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast | 28 January | He died at a hospital inIvano-Frankivsk on 28 January. Kolomyia Mayor Igor Sluzar said the man had come down with pneumonia during the clashes on Hrushevskoho Street where police used water cannons on protesters despite sub-zero temperatures.[69] |
![]() | Serhiy Synenko | AutoMaidan activist.Zaporizhzhia. | 13 February | InZaporizhzhia, the gas tank of his car was shot at, causing it to explode and the car to engulf him in flames. Police stated the murder may have been motivated by his participation in Automaidan.[71] |
![]() | Serhiy Bondarev | Software engineer fromGlobalLogic, Kyiv. Originally fromKramatorsk, Donetsk region | 18 February | 4 Gunshot wounds[72] |
![]() | Valeriy Brezdenyuk | Painter, known for "paintings on the water". FromZhmerynka,Vinnytsia Oblast.,[73][74] 50 year old. | 18 February | Killed during clashes by a gunshot wound to the back.[75] |
![]() | Serhiy Didych | Svoboda member. 44 years old. | 18 February | He died during a traffic incident while another protester was trying to break the police line.[76] |
![]() | Antonina Dvoryanets | FromBrovary.Kyiv Oblast. 61 years old.[77] | 18 February | She was picketing on Instytutska Street. Beaten to death with clubs during clashes.[78][79] |
![]() | Oleksandr Kapinos | FromTernopil Oblast,Svoboda member, 29 years old. | 18 February | He was killed during clashes.[75] According to his friend, Oleksandr was hit by a grenade, then shot in the head with a rubber bullet at close range. Died in hospital. |
![]() | Zurab Khurtsia | Georgian, 53 years old. | 18 February | Died from a heart attack on Maidan.[78][80] |
![]() | Volodymyr Kishchuk | FromZaporizhzhia Oblast. 58 years old. | 18 February | Shot during clashes with riot police andBerkut on Hrushevskoho street.[81][82] |
![]() | Andriy Korchak | Boryslav.Lviv Oblast 50 years old. | 18 February | Beaten by "Berkut" and died from a head injury in the hospital.[75][83] |
![]() | Volodymyr Kulchytskyi | FromKyiv. 65 years old. | 18 February | Killed by two bullets during clashes.[75] |
![]() | Volodymyr Naumov | Member of Euromaidan self-defense units, fromDonetsk Oblast. | 18 February | Body found onTrukhaniv Island near the Dnieper River. Police accused Naumov of suicide.[78][84] |
![]() | Oleksandr Plekhanov | 22 year-old college student fromKyiv. | 18 February | Killed during clashes.[85] |
![]() | Ihor Serdyuk | FromKremenchuk. 40 years old. | 18 February | Executed by "titushkas" thugs and "Berkut" next toMariinskyi Park, while building a barricade.[72] |
![]() | Serhiy Shapoval | FromKyiv. 45 years old. | 18 February | Shot during clashes with the riot police andBerkut on Hrushevskoho street.[81][82] |
![]() | Vyacheslav Veremiy | Journalist for Vesti newspaper; lost 1 eye during the Hrushevskoho Street riots weeks prior; survived by a 4-year-old son.[86] | 18 February | Pulled out of a taxi on his way home from work and then shot in the chest by government-paid thugs[87][88] in a targeted killing. Driver was severely beaten with lacerations to his legs.[89] |
![]() | Yakiv Zaiko | FormerPeople's Deputy of Ukraine,Zhytomyr. 73 years old. | 18 February | Died from heart attack while fleeing "Berkut" special unit.[90] |
![]() | Andriy Chernenko | Slobodo-Petrivka,Poltava Oblast, 35 years old. Survived by 7-month-old daughter. | 19 February | [72] |
![]() | Yuriy Paskhalin | FromCherkasy Oblast. 30 years old. | 19 February | 3 Gunshot wounds in the back and 1 pneumatic injury[72] |
![]() | Dmytro Maksymov | FromKyiv, 19 years old. | 18 February | Injured by a grenade explosion, lost an arm, died of blood loss.[72] |
![]() | Vitaliy Vasyltsov | fromBila Tserkva. 1977 (age 47–48) | 19 February | Shot on Velyka Zhytomyrska Street.[91] |
![]() | Serhiy Baidovsky | fromLutsk, originally fromNovovolynsk. 22 years old. | 20 February | Killed on Independence Square[91] |
![]() | Serhiy Bondarchuk | fromStarokostiantyniv. 1961 (age 63–64) Teacher of Physics.[92] | 20 February | Killed by sniper[91][92] |
![]() | Mykola Dziavulsky | Born inKrasnoyarsk Krai, Russia. Lived inShepetivka,Khmelnytskyi Oblast. 1958 (age 66–67) Teacher of geography and biology | 20 February | Killed by sniper on Instytutska Street.[92] |
![]() | Ustym Holodnyuk | fromZbarazh,Ternopil Oblast, born in 1994 (19 years old) | 20 February | Shot in the head by sniper[92] |
![]() | Eduard Hrynevych | Volyn Oblast, born in 1985 (28 years old) | 20 February | Shot in the head by a sniper. Brought toSt. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery[72] |
![]() | Serhiy Kemsky | FromKerch,Crimea. 34 years old. | 20 February | Brought toSt. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery[72] |
![]() | Ihor Kostenko | Journalist from the newspaperSportanalytic, geography student and contributor toUkrainian Wikipedia[93] fromBuchach,Ternopil Oblast. 22 years old | 20 February | Brought toSt. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery[94] |
![]() | Ivan Kreman (Panteleyev) | FromKremenchuk,Poltava Oblast | 20 February | Killed by sniper[92][95] |
![]() | Andrii Movchan | fromKyiv. 34 years old. Democratic Alliance activist | 20 February | Killed by sniper. According to a friend, Andrii was bringing food to Maidan when he was killed.[96] |
![]() | Roman Nikulichev | Kyiv, 21 years old | 20 February | [72] |
![]() | Dmytro Pahor | Khmelnytskyi, 21 y/o | 20 February | Shot in the head next to the SBU office in Khmelnytskyi[97] |
![]() | Yuriy Parashchuk | Lived inKharkiv, born inTalne,Cherkasy Oblast. Born in 1966 (47 y/o) | 20 February | Shot in the head and killed by sniper on Instytutska Street.[72] |
![]() | Anatoliy Korneyev | From Havrylivtsi,Khmelnytskyi Oblast | 20 February | Killed by sniper.[72] |
![]() | Andriy Sayenko | FromFastiv. 42 years old | 20 February | 7thSotnia of Maidan Self-Defense. Killed by a sniper[98] |
![]() | Yosyp Shylinh | (1953-02-14)14 February 1953 (age 72) FromDrohobych, Lviv Oblast | 20 February | Shot in the head by a sniper next toOctober Palace[72] |
![]() | Viktor Chmilenko | Borysivka [uk],Bobrynets Raion,Kirovohrad Oblast 1961 (age 63–64) | 20 February | Killed by sniper[92] |
![]() | Vitaliy Smolinsky | Furmanivka village. FromCherkasy Oblast. | 20 February | Brought toSt. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery[72] |
![]() | Bohdan Solchanyk | FromStaryi Sambir,Lviv Oblast, Professor ofUkrainian Catholic University | 20 February | Brought toSt. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery[72] |
![]() | Igor Tkachuk | Znamensk, Kaliningrad Oblast (Russia) 1975 (age 49–50). Father of three children with the youngest only a year old. | 20 February | Killed by sniper.[92] |
![]() | Bohdan Ilkiv | Shchyrets,Lviv Oblast, 51 years old | 22 February | Shot twice in the stomach on Maidan. Died in the hospital.[99] |
![]() | Roman Tochyn | Khodoriv, Lviv Oblast 1970 (age 54–55), Svoboda party member | 20 February | Shot in the head by a sniper.[92] |
![]() | Oleksandr Tsariok | Kalinin,Vasylkiv Raion,Kyiv Oblast | 20 February | Killed by sniper[92] |
![]() | Oleh Ushnevych | Drohobych 1982 (age 42–43) | 20 February | Killed by sniper[92] |
![]() | Roman Varenytsia | fromYavoriv Raion, Lviv Oblast. (1978-12-14)14 December 1978 (age 46) | 20 February | Killed by sniper[91][92] |
![]() | Nazar Voytovych | 17-year-old from Travneve village,Ternopil Oblast | 20 February | Brought toSt. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery[72] |
![]() | Anatoliy Zhalovaha | Lviv, born in 1980 | 20 February | Brought toSt. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery[72] |
![]() | Anatoliy Zherebnyh | Rudky,Lviv Oblast | 20 February | Brought toSt. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery[72] |
![]() | Bohdan Vaida | Letnya village,Lviv Oblast, 48 years old | 20 February | Shot in the chest by a sniper[72] |
![]() | Volodymyr Chaplinsky | Obukhiv, born in 1979 (34 y/o) | 20 February | Shot in the neck by a sniper[72] |
![]() | Ihor Dmytriv | Kopanky village,Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, 30 years old | 20 February | Shot in the chest by a sniper[72] |
![]() | Andriy Dyhdalovych | Sokilnyky,Pustomyty Raion,Lviv Oblast, born in 1973 | 20 February | Shot by a sniper while covering a friend.[72] |
![]() | Roman Hurik | Ivano-Frankivsk, born in 1994 | 19 February | Shot in the head by a sniper[72] |
![]() | Vitaliy Kotsyuba | Lviv, 32 years old | 20 February | [72] |
![]() | Oleksandr Khrapachenko | Theatre director fromRivne, originally fromZdolbuniv, born in 1987 (26 years old) | 20 February | Shot in the head and killed by sniper.[72] |
![]() | Vasyl Moysey | Born 23 March 1992 (21 years old) inZubrets,Buchach Raion,Ternopil Oblast. He was living inKivertsi,Volyn Oblast while a 4th year student at Lutsk University Institute of Human Development. | 20 February | Shot in the chest by a sniper on the morning of 20 February. He had arrived with the Volyn Self-Defense unit on the Maidan in Kyiv 18 February. He died at the 17th hospital from the gunshot wound, despite having worn a bulletproof vest.[100][72][101] |
![]() | Valeriy Opanasyuk | Rivne, born in 1971. Had 4 children. | 20 February | Shot by a sniper[72] |
![]() | Volodymyr Pavliuk | Kolomyia,Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, about 40 years old | 20 February | Shot 4 times, once in the head. Died in the hospital[72] |
![]() | Leonid Polyansky | About 35 years old | 20 February | Body found in morgue on Oranzhereina Street[72] |
![]() | Oleksandr Shcherbaniuk | FromChernivtsi, Batkivshchina party member. Afghanistan war veteran. | 20 February | Shot in the heart by a sniper[72] |
![]() | Maksym Shymko | FromVinnytsia, 33 years old | 20 February | Shot by a sniper[72] |
![]() | Ivan Tarasiuk | Olyka village,Volyn Oblast, born in 1993, 21 years old | 20 February | Killed by a sniper.[72] |
![]() | Ivan Bliok | Horodok, Lviv Oblast, born in 1973 (40 y/o) | 20 February | Shot in the heart by a sniper[72] |
![]() | Mykola Pankiv | Lapayivka,Lviv Oblast, 39 years old | 20 February | Shot in the chest[72] |
![]() | Vasyly Prohorskiy | Kyiv, 33 years old | 18 February | Went to Maidan on 18 Feb, was missing, found dead and tortured.[72] |
![]() | Viktor Shvets | Hatne village,Kyiv Oblast, born in 1957 | 19 February | Shot in the stomach 3 times[72] |
![]() | Volodymyr Zherebniy | Born in Vyshnia village (moved to Rudky),Lviv Oblast, born in 1985 (28 years old) | 20 February | Shot in the neck by a sniper[102] |
![]() | Liudmyla Sheremet | Khmelnytskyi, 73 years old | 22 February | Shot in the head by an SBU officer on 19 February during the storming ofSBU office inKhmelnytskyi. Died in the hospital three days later.[103][104] |
![]() | Yevhen Kotliar | Kharkiv, born in 1980 (33 y/o) | 20 February | Shot on Instytutska Street.[105] |
![]() | Ivan Horodniuk | Berezne,Rivne Oblast, 29 years old | 19 February | On 18 February, was beaten by "Berkut" and soaked from a water cannon. Returned home 19 February and died from a heart attack same night.[72] |
![]() | Andriy Tsepun | Kyiv, 35 years old | 21 February | Activist, found beaten to death.[106] |
![]() | Maksym Mashkov | 21 February | Died in the hospital[106] | |
![]() | Maksym Horoshishin | Hrushivka village,Cherkasy Oblast, 25 years old | 18 February | Died from gas grenade poisoning during the clashes on Instytutska Street.[107] |
![]() | Georgiy Arutiunyan | Georgian Citizen of Armenian descent, lived inRivne, born in 1960. | 20 February | Shot by a sniper. Brought toSt. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery[72] |
![]() | Volodymyr Melnychuk | Lived inKyiv, 40 years old | 20 February | Was helping activists. Shot in the neck by a sniper while standing next to his wife.[108] |
![]() | David Kipiani | Georgia | 21 February | Found wounded, likely shot by a sniper, next to the barricades on Khmelnytskoho Street, died in the emergency vehicle.[109] |
![]() | Victor Chernets | Podibna,Cherkasy Oblast, born in 1977 | 19 February | Died from injury caused by the collision with an unidentified SUV while guarding an improvised checkpoint built to block special units and thugs on Kyiv-Odesa highway. The SUV was storming the checkpoint to open the way for the Interior troops.[110] |
![]() | Oleksandr Scherbatyuk | FromChernivtsi; 46 years old; Jewish; Afghan war veteran | 20 February | Killed by snipers.[111] |
![]() | Volodymyr Topiy | Vyshnia village,Lviv Oblast, 57 years old | 18 February | Died during the fire at the Trade Unions Building[112] |
![]() | Volodymyr Zubok | Chernihiv Oblast, born in 1985 | 20 January | [112] |
![]() | Viktor Khomyak | Activist | 27 January | Body found hung on the Christmas Tree on the Maidan. Details are unknown.[112] |
![]() | Viktor Prokhorchuk | born in 1975 (38 years old) | 18 February | Member of the self-defense. Found with his throat slit in the backyard of aKhreshchatyk house a week after disappearance on 18 February.[112] |
![]() | Andriy Zhanovachiy | born in 1964 | 20? February | [112] |
![]() | Volodymyr Boykiv | born in 1955 | 19 February | [112] |
![]() | Oleksiy Bratushko | FromSumy, born in 1971 | 20 February | Shot by a sniper on Instytutska Street.[112] |
![]() | Ihor Batchinsky | 30 years old | 25 February | [112] |
![]() | Mykola Tarshchuk | born in 1975 | 20 February | Shot in the neck by a sniper[112] |
![]() | Mykola Semisiuk | FromKhmelnytskyi, born in 1986 | 20 February | Shot in the head by a sniper[112] |
![]() | Ihor Pehenko | Vyshhorod,Kyiv Oblast, born in 1970, 43 years old | 20 February | Shot in the neck by a sniper[113] |
![]() | Vladyslav Zubenko | "Svoboda" Party activist fromKharkiv, born in 1991, 22 years old | 28 February | Shot by a sniper 20 February, died from the wounds in the hospital.[114] |
![]() | Artem Mazur | 26 years old | 3 March | Sustained heavy head trauma, died from the wounds in the hospital.[115] |
![]() | Taras Slobodian | FromTernopil Oblast, 31 years old | 5 March | Body was found in the woods of Sumskyi Forest[116] in October 2013? (query date - precedes date of death)[117] |
![]() | Mykhailo Kostyshyn | Nyzhnii Strutyn,Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast | 26 February | Was on Maidan from the first days. Beaten to death in January, lasted in the hospital for almost a month but did not recover.[118] |
![]() | Artur Khuntsaar | FromIvano-Frankivsk, born in 1984 (29 years old) | 18 February | Killed by a sniper. |
![]() | Yuriy Nechiporuk | FromKhmilnyk,Vinnytsia Oblast, 30 years old | 18 February | Activist, kidnapped and killed by thugs. Sustained 20 knife wounds.[119] |
![]() | Anatoliy Kurach | FromRivne | 21 February | Died because of a head trauma received on Maidan[120] |
![]() | Oleksandr Badera | FromVolodymyr, born in 1948 (66 years old) | 28 January | Died because of trauma received 22 January on Hrushevskoho Street. |
![]() | Oleksandr Baliuk | From Lypovy village,Zhytomyr Oblast, born in 1974 (39 years old) | 20 February | Received a firearm wound to the chest. Was trying to rescue another person.[121] |
![]() | Reshat Ametov | FromCrimea, born in 1975. Father of 3 children. | 3 March? | Participated in the protests. Disappeared 3 March, found on 15 March, tortured to death.[122] |
![]() | Vyacheslav Vorona | Born inPrypiat, lived in Kyiv | 9 March | Received a head injury during the clashes, was brought to the intensive care, never recovered from coma. |
![]() | Vasyl Aksenin | From Letyache,Ternopil Oblast, born in 1961. | 12 March | Seriously wounded on 20 February in Kyiv. At the end of February he was sent for treatment to Poland, but did not survive. |
![]() | Olha Bura | From Rypne,Lviv Oblast, born in 1986. | 10 March | Participated in the protests since the end of November. Died at a hospital from injuries received during the clashes. |
![]() | Vasyl Sheremet | FromLanchyn,Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, born in 1949 (64 y/o). | 7 March | Died from wounds sustained during the clashes with "Berkut" |
![]() | Ivan Nakonechny | From Kyiv, born in 1931 (82 years old). | 7 March | Navy officer. Was on the Euromaidan since 30 November. Died from wounds sustained during the clashes on Instytutska Street on 19 February. |
![]() | Petro Hadzha | Lived in Kyiv, born inRakhiv,Zakarpattia Oblast, born in 1966 (47 years old). | 22 March | Was on the Euromaidan since its first days. Member of the 8th Sotnia. Died in the hospital due to gas poisoning which he had sustained during the clashes on Hrushevskoho Street. |
![]() | Dmytro Chernyavskiy | Born inDonetsk Oblast. Studied at Lviv National University, born in 1992 (22 years old). | 13 March | On 13 March, participated in the meeting for the unity of Ukraine inDonetsk. Was stabbed to death in clashes with pro-Russian activists. |
![]() | Roman Olikh | Born in the village of Hybalivka,Vinnytsia Oblast. | 15 February | Came to Maidan in January. On 6 February he was injured and taken to a hospital in Kyiv. Fell into coma and never recovered. |
Unidentified activists were reported killed.
On 18 February militants from theSocial-National Assembly and thePatriots of Ukraine seized and burned down the central office of the rulingParty of Regions.[136] A 57-year-old IT engineer Vladimir Konstantinovich Zakharov died in the fire. According toParty of Regions' statement, Zakharov proposed to the attackers to provide an exit route for the women office workers and was mortally struck in the head with a bat.[137] According to the Ukrainian news siteCensor.net, Zakharov died ofcarbon monoxide poisoning while taking money from the office safe.[138] On 10 April 2020 Ukraine'sState Bureau of Investigations handed a murder suspicion notice to aformerPeople's Deputy of UkraineTetiana Chornovol.Chornovol is accused of "controlling actions of a group of people and directly participating in the arson" of theParty of Regions office building.[139]
As of 2 March, The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported 18 officer fatalities related to the conflict.[140] Two deaths that occurred during the crisis were considered by The Interior Ministry's as having no relation to Euromaidan or civil unrest.[141] In addition, according to the Minister of Internal Affairs, another police officer, 30-year-old captain of theInternal Troops of Ukraine Dmytro Donets, died from a heart attack.[142] On 18 February, six officers were killed in action against protest camps in Kyiv.[143]
Rank | Name | Details | Date of death | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|
Lieutenant | Dmytro Vlasenko | Born 1982,Internal Troops (Crimea) | 18 February | [144] |
Lieutenant | Vitaliy Honcharov | Born 1989, Internal Troops (Crimea) | 18 February | [144] |
Lieutenant | Volodymyr Yevtushok | Born 1971, Patrol Service (Kyiv) | 18 February | [144][145] |
Senior lieutenant | Andriy Fediukin | Born 1972, Berkut (Crimea) | 18 February | [144] |
Oleksiy Ivanenko | Born 1977, Internal Troops (Kharkiv) | 18 February | [144] | |
Lieutenant | Petro Savitsky | Born 1972, Patrol Service (Kyiv) | 18 February | [144] |
Sergeant | Vasil' Bulitko | Born 1986, Berkut (Kyiv) | 18 February | [144] |
Sergeant | Serhiy Tsvihun | Born 1990, Berkut (Zaporizhia) | 18 February | [144] |
Ivan Tepliuk | Born 1993, Internal Troops (Kyiv) | 18 February | [144] | |
Maxim Tretiak | Born 1993, Internal Troops (Kyiv) | 18 February | [144] | |
Serhiy Spichak | Berdyansk, Zaporizhia region | 19 February | [146] | |
Volodymyr Zubok | [146] | |||
Vitaliy Zakharchenko | [146] | |||
Roman Kizik | [146] | |||
Nazariy Myrka | [146] | |||
Serhiy Mikhaylovych | [146] | |||
Mykola Simisiuk | [146] |
Ukrainian sources refer to the activists who died during Euromaidan as "The Heavenly Hundred".[147] In April 2014, theKyiv City State Administration andCulture Ministry of Ukraine stated that they expected to open a memorial complex "to the heroes of Heavenly Hundred" in February 2015, on the occasion of the anniversary of the death activists.[148]
On 1 July 2014, theVerkhovna Rada (the parliament of Ukraine) established theMedal "Order of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes".[149][150]
On 25 August 2014, PresidentPetro Poroshenko claimed he had called the2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election in order to purify parliament of MPs who had supported "the[January] Dictatorship laws that took the lives of the Heavenly hundred".[151][152]
Kyiv City Council renamed a part of Instytutska Street into Heavenly Hundred Heroes Avenue on 20 November 2014.[153]
President Poroshenko decreed on 11 February 2015 that 20 February will annually be commemorated as "Day of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes". His decree established [an action plan to accomplish] a museum in Kyiv dedicated toEuromaidan.[5][6] On 20 February, it is compulsory forUkrainian TV channels to display a flaming candle or a similar stylized image, and, at 12:00, a minute of silence must be observed.[154]
We must begin purification from the highest legislative body. [...] Current composition of Parliament has been the mainstay of Yanukovych for 1.5 years. [...] The majority of these MPs voted for dictatorial laws that took the lives of Nebesna Sotnya.