Natalia Haiova, a cherished kindergarten teacher in Kyiv, was known for her artistic talents, including drawing, flower arrangements, and decorations. Tragically, she lost her life last week in a Russian strike that targeted a nine-story building in the Svyatoshinsky district of Kyiv. This assault claimed the lives of 31 individuals, including five children, marking it as the deadliest attack on the capital since the onset of the full-scale invasion.
Haiova, who was 46 years old, died alongside her two sons, Vladyslav, 21, and Roman, 17, as well as her brother Oleksandr Naralyk, 44. The family was caught under the rubble when their apartment building collapsed due to the aerial assault.
On the following Tuesday, friends and family gathered to pay their final respects to Haiova and her family before their burial in a Kyiv cemetery. Nadia Kolisnyk, 56, the headmaster of the kindergarten where Haiova taught, remembered her as a helpful and knowledgeable professional with a creative spirit. “You saw the beauty she created. All the flowers, the decorations — it was all her golden hands,” Kolisnyk remarked.
Arthur Kulishenko, 22, a classmate of Vladyslav’s, was present at the site of the attack, waiting for the recovery of his friend's remains. He recounted the distressing experience, saying, “We knew he was under the rubble and just waited. There were just rocks. The building just crumbled there. It collapsed like a sliced cake.”
Haiova had relocated during the pandemic to her father’s house and quickly found employment at a nearby kindergarten, according to her sister, Olena Stetsiuk, 46. As drone and missile attacks intensified on Kyiv in June, Stetsiuk would often check on her sister, who would sometimes express her exhaustion from seeking shelter. However, following the recent louder attacks, Haiova had chosen to take cover in shelters.
Stetsiuk fondly recalled the last shopping trip she took with her sister when they bought black clothing for a friend’s funeral. “We chose, walked around, laughed,” she shared. “And we chose this blouse with her. She said, take this one. And we went to my place. We sat, discussed it, and looked some more.” Stetsiuk wore the same blouse to her sister’s funeral just two weeks later, which served as a solemn reminder of their last moments together.
The tragic event highlights the ongoing impact of the conflict in Ukraine, affecting countless families and communities. The loss of Haiova, her sons, and her brother not only signifies a personal tragedy but also reflects the broader human cost of the ongoing war. The devastation brought upon families like Haiova’s resonates throughout the region, reminding the world of the urgent need for peace and resolution.
