Nataliia Khodemchuk, aged 73, tragically passed away in a Kyiv hospital after sustaining serious injuries from a Russian drone attack on November 13-14. Her story is particularly poignant, as she was the widow of Valerii Khodemchuk, the first victim of the catastrophic Chornobyl disaster in 1986.
Nataliia was hospitalized while medical professionals worked tirelessly to save her life but ultimately, the injuries proved too severe. Valerii Khodemchuk’s legacy lives on; his body remains trapped under the ruins of Reactor 4, a stark reminder of the human cost of the disaster. After fleeing the city of Prypiat following the incident, Nataliia settled in the Troieshchyna district of Kyiv.
Tamara Khrushch, a journalist who knew Nataliia, reflected on her dedication to honoring the memory of Chornobyl victims. Each year, Nataliia would join other widows in commemorating their lost loved ones at the Mitinskoye Cemetery in Moscow, where the first thirty workers who succumbed to radiation exposure are interred. The tragedy of losing her husband and witnessing the effects of the disaster deeply impacted her life.
Nataliia lived in a residential building that housed first responders and families of Chornobyl victims, often referred to as “liquidators.” One notable resident includes Oleksii Ananenko, a former Chornobyl mechanical engineer who played a crucial role in averting a potential second explosion at the facility.
The apartment building became one of the targets during the recent wave of attacks, and Nataliia’s home was reportedly “burnt to the ground.” The drone assault resulted in a total of seven fatalities in Kyiv, including Svitlana Vashchenko, a beloved kindergarten teacher.
Despite the devastation, the memory and sacrifices of those affected by Chornobyl and the ongoing conflict remain honored and remembered. Nataliia’s passing highlights the enduring impact of both the nuclear disaster and the current war, which continues to claim innocent lives across Ukraine.