Nataliia Ilnytska, a servicewoman of the Achilles unit, has been killed in action in Donetsk Oblast. She had been defending Ukraine since 2022.

Source: Anzhela Makeieva, acting mayor of Irpin; Volunteer Formation No. 1 of the Bucha hromada

Details: Nataliia Ilnytska lived in the city of Irpin in Kyiv Oblast. In 2022, she became one of the first four servicewomen to join the mobile air defence unit known as the Bucha Witches.

“Side by side with her brothers- and sisters-in-arms, she stood guard over the skies of Kyiv Oblast, shooting down enemy drones and saving the lives of civilians,” said the Volunteer Formation No. 1 of the Bucha hromada [an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories – ed.].

Nataliia Ilnytska was one of the first members of the Bucha Witches.Photo: Volunteer Formation No. 1 of the Bucha hromada on Facebook

Later, Nataliia joined the Territorial Defence Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and underwent military training abroad.

She served as a mechanic in the 3rd squad of unmanned aerial vehicles of the 2nd platoon, 2nd company of strike UAV systems in the Achilles unit.

Nataliia was killed in action on 10 August near the village of Ridkodub in Donetsk Oblast as a result of artillery shelling. She was 47.

She is survived by two children and her husband, who also serves in the military.

Background: On 7 August, a combat medic of the 3rd Assault Brigade, Maryna “Mary” Hrytsenko, was killed in action. In civilian life, she was the chief curator of the collections at the Chernihiv Art Museum and a member of the Plast scouting organisation.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!

From Ukrainska Pravda via this RSS feed