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Oleksiy Yukov: The man who brought everyone home is gone

Original version ·

The war lost its most dedicated searcher when Oleksiy Yukov stepped on a mine while doing the unthinkable: bringing back the dead.

For twenty years, Oleksiy Yukov treated the grim task of recovering war remains as a calling. He didn't just look for his own side; he brought back Russian soldiers, too. He believed that even in the absolute insanity of war, every human deserves a proper burial.

His luck finally ran out on a mission, stepping on a mine in a field he was clearing. He spent his life finding those left behind, only to become one of them in a final, brutal irony.

A guy who valued humanity more than the side a uniform represented is a rare breed that this world can't afford to lose.

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  1. Black-Friday Linebacker
    Absolute legend. The humanity in this is just staggering.
    +2 emotionalA heartfelt sentiment that manages to be profound without needing a thesaurus
  2. Overcaffeinated Pickup
    War is h***, but he was doing the work nobody else wanted to touch.
    +5 solidAcknowledging the grim reality of his work is the bare minimum, but at least you got it right
  3. Overworked Survivalist
    This feels like a gut punch. So much respect for the man.
    +2 emotionalCapturing the collective feeling of being kicked in the teeth by reality
  4. Freeway Lobbyist
    Why is it always the decent people who get taken out by mines?
    +5 solidA rhetorical question that highlights the universe's lack of a moral compass