The sister of a Ukrainian footballer killed together with their dad and mom has revealed his closing textual content messages earlier than their our bodies had been discovered.
Alexander Sukhenko was seized by Russian troops who descended on their residence within the village of Motyzhyn, 31 miles to the west of Kyiv.
The 25-year-old had joined his mom, Olga, the village head, and father, Igor, in supporting residents in the course of the occupation.
His sister, Elena, paid tribute to the ‘treasure of the nation’, who had tried to allay her fears when the troopers went to their dad and mom’ residence on March 23.
He had enrolled within the territorial defence and remained in Motyzhyn to assist individuals dwelling with bombardment, gunfire and shortages of important provides. The Liverpool fan, often known as Sasha, transported assist to distant areas and picked up orders for drugs which he handed to different volunteers.
The final texts he despatched to his sister learn, ‘they took mum’, earlier than a closing message assuring her: ‘Lena, we're high-quality, the cellphone will probably be turned off.’
The household had rallied behind humanitarian work from the outset of the invasion, remaining with their fellow residents as Russian forces tried to advance on Kyiv from the north and west.
On February 27, the occupying troops took management of the village and are first mentioned to have taken Alexander’s automobile earlier than returning for his dad and mom.
Elena pleaded together with her brother to depart however he remained at their residence, telling her he was ready for the couple to return.
The trio’s our bodies had been discovered dumped in a shallow pit simply exterior the village on Saturday, two weeks after they went lacking, as Russian troops withdrew from the northern approaches to the capital.
They're mentioned by Ukrainian officers and media channels to have been tortured and murdered by Moscow’s forces.
‘My dad and mom and brother laid down their lives for our village, for our nation,’ Elena mentioned. ‘They didn't hand over, didn't break, didn't let down the honour and identify of our household.
‘They're heroes. I’m so pleased with them, I like them a lot.
‘On the identical time, I've such ache. I'll by no means forgive anybody for this loss.
‘Sasha is the treasure of the nation.
‘It is a worthy son, that is my soul, that is my greatest brother, it is a good friend, an adviser, a person of his phrase and an actual hero on this warfare.’
At her brother’s insistence, Elena, her husband and their youngster made the heartbreaking determination to depart the village for an undisclosed location, however they remained in every day contact.
‘Little by little, individuals managed to depart, however some had been shelled and it was a lottery,’ Elena mentioned.
‘Sasha coordinated the departure of individuals, shaped humanitarian columns and gave out data on which hour was higher to go. He was helped by some buddies to collect data on the most secure routes.
‘He and his mom and pop continued to assist individuals depart daily.
‘Additionally they distributed merchandise to native residents, offering assist and fixing pressing issues inside their capabilities.’
As Russian troops, together with paratroopers and particular forces, tried to advance on the capital, the safety scenario within the village grew to become more and more perilous. However the household nonetheless managed to ship assist and drugs, together with to aged neighbours on the road the place they lived.
‘From the very starting, he helped the village along with his dad and mom,’ Elena mentioned.
‘They organized the processes in order that the village functioned, as a result of it was already tough with the supply of merchandise and important items.
‘Then the orcs [Russian soldiers] got here into the village. On the primary day there have been victims – harmless individuals.
‘There have been fixed explosions below which they awoke and fell asleep. The sunshine was gone and it was scary to go exterior in the course of the day.
‘Gunshots had been heard in all places. Nevertheless it didn’t scare him for a second.
‘He simply mentioned that my husband and I ought to have a Plan B, and that it might be higher if we depart the village. I didn’t need to depart my household, it was very tough to depart.’
Russian troops then went to the household residence, the place they initially took Alexander’s automobile earlier than leaving. He had tried to talk to the occupiers, regardless of Elena warning him of the hazard.
‘He mentioned that in case you converse to them confidently and adequately, then the whole lot would be the norm,’ she mentioned.
‘I advised them it was harmful for them to remain residence. However my dad and mom and brother might have thought that they had been not in a lot hazard.
‘How improper they had been.’
The troopers, who're reported to have searched the home and likewise taken a cellphone, then returned just a few hours later and took the dad and mom.
‘To begin with, they took our mom as the pinnacle of the village and as common my dad went together with her,’ Elena mentioned.
‘Sasha known as me the final time and mentioned that they'd promised to convey them again alive and he would await them.
‘I requested if he must be elsewhere, I used to be very frightened about him.’
At 15.36 she acquired the ultimate textual content from her brother saying, ‘we're high-quality’ however that his cellphone can be switched off.
Within the following days, villagers turned to social media as they made a determined enchantment for details about the trio’s whereabouts.
‘I fought to the final to save lots of them, I knocked on all of the doorways, I screamed and requested for assist,’ Elena mentioned.
‘However what occurred to my household you possibly can see for your self. These damned Russian bastards took the whole lot from me, my sense, my completely happy life.’
Alexander performed for the regional soccer membership FC Kudrivka, which shared Elena’s account of her household’s closing hours.
Oleksandr Bruy, of the membership’s press service, advised Metro.co.uk: ‘Alexander and his dad and mom are heroes. They helped many individuals and saved many residents of the village of Motyzhyn at the price of their very own lives.’
The membership shared photos of the ahead and his dad and mom below the dedication, ‘everlasting reminiscence and the dominion of heaven’.
The deaths of the household are amongst mounting proof of warfare crimes perpetrated by Russian troops, which incorporates mass graves and our bodies strewn by the roadside in cities and cities exterior Kyiv.
Bucha, 15 miles to the north of the capital, has turn out to be synonymous with the atrocities, described because the worst because the Second World Struggle.
The household is claimed to have refused to have co-operated with the Kremlin’s forces, with Mrs Sukhenko posting a closing defiant Fb message on the day of occupation, warning of ‘scum’ within the village.
Anton Herashchenko, a Ukrainian inside ministry adviser, advised Reuters: ‘The occupiers suspected they had been collaborating with our navy, giving us places of the place to focus on their artillery.
‘These scum tortured, slaughtered and killed the entire household.
‘They are going to be held answerable for this.’
The our bodies, mentioned by AP journalists to have been sure and blindfolded, had been discovered as Ukrainian personnel cleared the realm on Saturday.
The victims are believed to have been shot at shut vary.
A fourth physique shut by within the sandy pit has not been recognized however is believed to be that of a volunteer serviceman.
Moscow has denied committing warfare crimes and has mentioned stories of civilians being killed are fabrications aimed toward smearing Russia.
A ‘closing farewell’ for the household is because of happen within the village right this moment, with residents planning to collect close to the house.
In a put up on Instagram, Elena mentioned: ‘I need to sincerely thank everybody in your assist, assist, compassion and all types phrase.
‘The ache is insufferable, however thanks for the whole lot.
‘Heroes don't die.’
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