Ukrainian Filmmaker and News Cameraman Killed Near Avdiivka

A Tragic Blow to Ukrainian Cinema

According to Главком: Ukrainian director Ihor Malakhov has been confirmed killed near Avdiivka following DNA analysis. He died alongside Yevhenii Solovei, a cameraman for the TSN news program. The ongoing war in Ukraine has claimed the lives of numerous artists and journalists who chose to document the conflict firsthand. A farewell ceremony for Ihor Malakhov is scheduled for April 21, 2026. It will begin with a moment of silence at 10:00 on Maidan Nezalezhnosti. At 10:40, tributes will continue near the Obolonska District State Administration. A funeral service will commence at 11:30 at the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul at the Berkovets cemetery in Kyiv (19 Stetsenko Street). The burial will take place on the Alley of Glory.

The Lives and Service of Ihor Malakhov and Yevhenii Solovei

Ihor Malakhov, who used the call signs 'No Name' or 'Mykhailovych', served in the 425th Separate Assault Battalion. Before the full-scale invasion, he worked as a director, creating films including 'Voice of Donbas' and 'How the War Began. Chronicles, Witnesses.' Malakhov was educated at the National Pedagogical Dragomanov University and the All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography. His film 'Music Lessons' was a laureate of the Odesa International Film Festival in 2016.

Yevhenii Solovei, who also perished at the front, had been filming the war since 2014. In 2022, he volunteered for military service and served as a drone pilot.

"I will finish everything, I will tell the story." - Ihor Malakhov

The deaths of Ihor Malakhov and Yevhenii Solovei represent a profound loss not only for their families but for Ukrainian society and the cultural community. Both men were active participants in the events unfolding in Ukraine, and their work captured the harsh realities of war. The public farewell will serve as an opportunity to honor their contributions to culture and to remember those who served on the front lines.