Outstanding Kyiv historian and teacher Vitalii Shtefan killed in action

A historian and teacher who had been missing in action in the operational zone of Russia's Kursk Oblast has been confirmed dead.

Source: Department of History at the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy

Details: There had been no information about the fate of Vitalii Shtefan for one and a half years. Dr Oleksandr Demianchuk, a former university lecturer in political science, said Vitalii initially embarked on a political science degree. When he failed his exams, he re-enrolled at the university.

"He then failed his exams again and ended up in the humanities faculty," Demianchuk wrote. "He was searching for himself, searching in his studies for what was closest to him. Discussions with him in seminars would be so outstanding that they took his classmates' breath away. People like him are never forgotten. We have lost a great but hidden treasure."

After graduating in history, Vitalii worked as a research fellow at the Museum of the Occupation of Kyiv, a branch of the Museum of the History of the City of Kyiv, and also taught at a secondary school, Lyceum No. 299.

His colleagues wrote on Facebook: "Vitalii was not only a highly skilled professional who made history come alive for children, he was also a person of exceptional courage who chose to fight for the future of our state with his own hands.

For his students, he will always remain a model of honour, wisdom and patriotism, and for his colleagues, a trusted friend and a wonderful person."

Vitalii served as a rifleman and assistant grenade-launcher operator in the 1st Battalion of the 47th Magura Separate Mechanised Brigade. He had been missing in action on the Kursk front since October 2024.

His death has now been confirmed.

Dmytro Mazin, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, described the serviceman as "a wonderful professional and a sincere and kind person".

"Many remember him as a thoughtful and inquisitive student, a dedicated historian, a reliable friend... This is a huge loss. It's heartbreaking," Mazin added.

Vitalii's funeral will take place at 11:00 on 19 August at the National Military Memorial Cemetery.

Previously: Oleksii Yukov, head of the Platsdarm search unit, was recently killed while exhuming fallen soldiers' remains on the line of contact. Many Ukrainians have signed a petition calling for him to be awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.

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