Ukrainian Orthodox Priest Dies from Wounds Sustained in Russian Shelling of Prosyana

Archpriest Oleksiy Okushko Dies from Shelling Injuries

According to Главком: Archpriest Oleksiy Okushko, aged 62, died on April 6, 2026, from wounds he sustained during a Russian bombardment of the village of Prosyana on March 13. The attack by Russian occupying forces inflicted a severe head injury. He was transported to the I.I. Mechnikov Dnipropetrovsk Regional Clinical Hospital, where he remained in a coma until his passing. His death underscores the ongoing toll the war takes on civilian life across Ukraine, including religious figures.

The funeral and burial services for Archpriest Oleksiy Okushko are scheduled for April 8, 2026. The rites will be led by Archpriest Vasyl Brynzei. The ceremony will begin at 10:00 at the Church of the Archangel Michael in the village of Voloske, Dniprovskyi district, Dnipropetrovsk region, followed by interment at the monastery cemetery of the Holy Tikhvin Convent in the same village.

Biographical Details of Oleksiy Okushko

Oleksiy Okushko was born on September 28, 1964, in the settlement of Prosyana, Pokrovskyi district, Dnipropetrovsk region. He completed his secondary education in Prosyana in 1981 and served in the Soviet Army from 1982 to 1984. In 1987, he graduated from a vocational school (SPTU-75) and married Olena Kholod in 1988.

From 1990 to 1993, Okushko studied at the Dniprodzerzhynsk Correspondence Chemical-Technological College, graduating with honors. His ordination began on August 19, 1994, when he was ordained a deacon at the Spaso-Preobrazhenskyi Cathedral in Dnipropetrovsk. He was ordained a priest on September 27, 1994, at the Holy Cross Exaltation Church in the village of Diivka-1, Dnipropetrovsk.

Archpriest Oleksiy Okushko dedicated 32 years to ministry. From 1994, he served as rector of the Church of the Prophet Elijah in the village of Katerynivka, Pokrovskyi district. He studied at the Odesa Theological Seminary's correspondence department from 1997 to 2001. In 2011, he was appointed a cleric at the Holy Sign Church of the Znamensky Convent in the village of Verbivske, Synelnykove district. In August 2025, he was reassigned as a cleric at the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God 'Joy of All Who Sorrow' in his hometown of Prosyana, Synelnykove district.

The death of Archpriest Oleksiy Okushko represents another tragic consequence of the armed conflict in Ukraine, which continues to claim the lives of civilians and clergy alike. His decades of service, devotion to faith, and active role in community life left a significant mark on those who knew him. The funeral rites planned for April 8 will provide an opportunity for the community to honor his memory and reflect on his contribution to the region's spiritual life.