KYIV, Ukraine – Maryna Homeniuk, a 24-year-old English teacher, fled Ukraine four years ago due to Russia's full-scale invasion. After completing her degree in the Czech Republic, where she learned Vietnamese, she returned to Ukraine and fell in love with Yurii Orlov, a former hockey player and captain of the Kyiv Floorball Club.
Tragically, Homeniuk and Orlov were among the 24 fatalities from a devastating wave of Russian airstrikes described by Ukrainian military officials as the largest barrage of the war. Their apartment building was reduced to rubble by a cruise missile.
On May 16, 2026, friends and family gathered to mourn Homeniuk, with hopes to honor Orlov as well, but his body was not yet ready for burial. Olesia Yukhnovych, a close friend, shared her heartbreak, saying, “She was a very caring person. I feel very sorry, because she had so many dreams.” Homeniuk was passionate about teaching and had aspirations of starting a family when conditions improved.
Homeniuk and Orlov met through a dating app after she returned to Kyiv in 2023. Friends noted that she was multilingual, proficient in around ten languages, including fluent Korean and Chinese. Known for her gentle nature, she often rescued abandoned animals and eagerly saved for travels to new countries.
Anastasiia Petrushyna, a friend and colleague, expressed her sorrow, saying, “This is a young person. This is a girl who had absolutely the whole future ahead of her. This future will no longer exist.” Friends highlighted the deep connection between Homeniuk and Orlov, despite their differing interests—sports for him and art for her. Homeniuk was a regular at Orlov’s games and even learned to play floorball from him, while he benefitted from her English lessons.
Yukhnovych lamented the cruel twist of fate, stating, “I should have been helping prepare for the wedding and I ended up helping prepare for the funeral.” The couple's deaths came after a harsh winter filled with relentless attacks on Kyiv. The neighborhood of Darnytsia, where they lived, faced severe power outages, which both Homeniuk and Orlov often discussed wanting to escape, though financial constraints held them back.
Yukhnovych recalled trying to reach Homeniuk after the airstrike but receiving no response. “You never think something could happen to someone close to you,” she said, reflecting on the painful reality of unread messages amidst tragedy.
The impact of these losses on friends and family underscores the ongoing human cost of the conflict in Ukraine, leaving behind unanswered questions and deep sorrow.
