The sister of a Ukrainian soccer player who was killed along with their parents has revealed his latest text messages before their bodies were found.
Alexander Sukhenko was captured by Russian troops at his home in the village of Motyzhyn, 31 miles west of Kiev.
The 25-year-old had joined his mother, Olga, the village head, and his father, Igor, to support the residents during the occupation.
His sister, Elena, paid tribute to the “treasure of the nation”, which tried to allay her fears when soldiers went to their parents’ house on March 23.
He enlisted in the territorial defense and remained in Motyzhyn to help people living with bombings, shootings and shortages of basic supplies. The Liverpool fan, known as Sasha, transported aid to remote areas and collected orders for medicines, which he handed over to other volunteers.
The last messages he sent to his sister read “they took mom”, before one last message assuring her: “Lena, we are fine, the phone will hang up”.
The family had been hiding behind humanitarian work since the beginning of the invasion, staying with its fellow citizens as Russian forces tried to advance on Kyiv from the north and west.
On February 27, the occupation troops took control of the village and it is said that they first took Alexander’s car before returning to his parents.
Elena begged her brother to leave, but he stayed at their house, telling her that he was waiting for the couple to return.
Alexander Sukhenko excels for his football team which wants to help identify and punish those responsible for his death (Image: FC Kudrivka / @ Kudrivka)
The bodies of the three were found dumped in a shallow pit just outside the village on Saturday, two weeks after their disappearance, as Russian troops withdrew from the northern approaches to the capital.
It is said by Ukrainian officials and media outlets that they were tortured and killed by Moscow forces.
“My parents and my brother gave their lives for our village, for our country,” said Elena. “They did not give up, they did not break, they did not disappoint the honor and the name of our family.
“They are heroes. I’m so proud of them, I love them so much.
“At the same time, I’m in such pain. I will never forgive anyone for this loss.
“Sasha is the treasure of the nation.
“This is a worthy son, this is my soul, this is my best brother, this is a friend, a counselor, a man of his word and a true hero in this war.”
At the insistence of her brother, Elena, her husband and their child made the heartbreaking decision to leave the village for an unknown location, but remained in daily contact.
Alexander Sukhenko with his parents Olga and Igor (Image: FC Kudrivka / @ Kudrivka)
“Slowly, people managed to leave, but some were bombed and it was a lottery,” said Elena.
“Sasha coordinated the departure of the people, formed humanitarian columns and gave information about what time was best to go. Some friends helped him gather information about the safest routes.
“He and his mother and father continued to help people leave every day.
“They also distributed products to the residents of the area, providing support and solving urgent problems within their capabilities.”
As Russian troops, including paratroopers and special forces, tried to advance into the capital, the security situation in the village became increasingly dangerous. However, the family managed to offer help and medicine, including the elderly neighbors on the street where they lived.
“From the beginning he helped the village with his parents,” said Elena.
“They organized the procedures for the village to function, because it was already difficult with the delivery of products and basic necessities.
“Then the orcs [Russian soldiers] came to the village. On the first day there were victims – innocent people.
“There were constant explosions under which they woke up and fell asleep. The light was off and it was scary to go out during the day.
“Shots were fired everywhere. But it did not scare him for a second.
“He just said that my husband and I should have a plan B and that it would be better to leave the village. “I did not want to leave my family, it was very difficult to leave.”
Alexander Sukhenko was a talented footballer (Image: FC Kudrivka / @ Kudrivka)
The Russian troops then went to the family home, where they first picked up Alexander’s car before leaving. He had tried to talk to the conquerors, despite the fact that Elena warned him of the danger.
“He said that if you speak to them confidently and adequately, then everything will be the rule,” he said.
“I told them it was dangerous to stay home. But my parents and brother may have thought they were no longer in danger.
“How wrong they were.”
The soldiers, who allegedly searched the house and got a phone call, then returned a few hours later and picked up the parents.
“First of all, they took our mother as the village leader and as usual my dad went with her,” said Elena.
“Sasha called me last time and said they had been promised to bring them back alive and she would be waiting for them.
“I asked if he should be somewhere else, I was very worried about him.”
At 15.36 she received the last message from her brother saying “we are fine”, but that his phone would be switched off.
Alexander Sukhenko is remembered for staying in his village until the end during the Russian occupation (Image: Facebook / @ boryspilTV)
In the following days, the villagers turned to social media as they made a desperate appeal for information about the whereabouts of the trinity.
“I fought to the last to save them, knocked on all the doors, screamed and asked for help,” said Elena.
“But you can see for yourself what happened to my family. “These cursed Russian bastards took everything from me, my feeling, my happy life.”
Alexander played for the regional football team FC Kudrivka, which shared Elena’s story about the last hours of her family.
Oleksandr Bruy, of the club’s press service, told Metro.co.uk: “Alexander and his parents are heroes. “They helped many people and saved many residents of the village of Motyzhyn at the cost of their lives.”
The club shared images of the forward and his parents under the dedication, “eternal memory and the kingdom of heaven”.
Alexander Sukhenko with his sister Elena who remembers him as a “treasure” of the Ukrainian nation (Image: Elena Sukhenko / Instagram)
The deaths of the family are among the growing evidence of war crimes committed by Russian troops, which include mass graves and corpses scattered on the roadside in cities and towns outside Kyiv.
Bucha, 15 miles north of the capital, has become synonymous with atrocities, described as the worst since World War II.
The family reportedly refused to cooperate with Kremlin forces, with Ms. Sukenko posting one last provocative Facebook message on the day of the occupation, warning of “scum” in the village.
Anton Herashchenko, an adviser to the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, told Reuters: “The occupiers suspected that they were collaborating with our army, giving us locations where we would target their artillery.
“These scum tortured, slaughtered and killed the whole family.
“They will be held responsible for this.”
Alexander Sukhenko is remembered for staying in his village until the end during the Russian occupation (Image: Facebook / @ boryspilTV)
The bodies, which AP reporters said were blindfolded and blindfolded, were found as Ukrainian staff cleared the area on Saturday.
The victims are believed to have been shot at close range.
A fourth body near the sand pit has not been identified, but is believed to be a volunteer soldier.
Moscow has denied that it committed war crimes and said that reports of civilian casualties were fabrications aimed at slandering Russia.
A “final goodbye” for the family is going to take place today in the village, with the residents planning to gather near the house.
In an Instagram post, Elena said: “I want to sincerely thank everyone for their support, help, compassion and every good word.
“The pain is unbearable, but thank you for everything.
“Heroes do not die.”
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