Kyiv historian and teacher Vitalii Shtefan killed in action

Historian and school teacher Vitalii Shtefan, who went missing in the operational zone of Russia's Kursk Oblast, has been killed in action.

Source: Department of History at the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy

Details: There had been no information about the defender's fate for one and a half years. Former university lecturer and Doctor of Political Science Oleksandr Demianchuk said that Vitalii initially began his higher education in political science. He once failed his exams but enrolled at the university a second time.

"He then failed his exams again and ended up in the humanities faculty. He was searching for himself, searching in his studies for what was closest to him. Discussions with him in seminars were such that his classmates held their breath. Such personalities are not forgotten. The loss of a great but hidden value," Demianchuk wrote.

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

"Vitalii was not only a highly skilled expert who opened pages of the past for children, but 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 an example of honour, wisdom and patriotism, and for his colleagues – a reliable friend and a bright person," the fallen soldier's colleagues wrote.

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

His death has now been confirmed.

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

"Many remember him as an inquisitive, attentive student, a dedicated historian, a reliable friend... A great loss. It is very painful," Mazin added.

A farewell ceremony for Vitalii will take place on 19 August at 11:00 at the National Military Memorial Cemetery.

Background: Oleksii Yukov, head of the Platsdarm search team, was killed during the exhumation of fallen soldiers' remains on the line of contact. Ukrainians supported a petition calling for him to be awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon to help us keep reporting!