A teacher evacuated from occupied Oleshky has died in Kyiv

In Kyiv, after being evacuated from temporarily occupied Oleshky in Kherson region, a 56-year-old physical education teacher, Olena Pyrozhenko, has died. This was reported by Glavcom citing Suspilne.

As acting director of Oleshky Support Educational Institution No. 4 Nadia Shtanko said, Olena Pyrozhenko died on 6 November. In the spring of 2026, when the woman was still in occupied Oleshky, her husband passed away.

Colleagues remember Pyrozhenko as a kind, sincere, and compassionate person who always kept her promises. According to Shtanko, the teacher knew how to find common ground with children, listen to them, and support them in difficult moments. After news of her death, former students and colleagues left dozens of warm tributes.

Shtanko noted that Olena Pyrozhenko also taught physical education to her daughter, who graduated from school in 2022. Upon learning of her former teacher’s death, the girl broke down in tears.

In addition to her teaching career, Pyrozhenko competed in sports professionally. She was a Candidate for Master of Sport in athletics and at one time was a member of the Soviet Union national team.

Recall that on 30 October a humanitarian mission took place in temporarily occupied Oleshky in Kherson region, during which it was possible to evacuate some local residents. Among those rescued were people with limited mobility and citizens who required medical assistance. Some of the evacuees were taken to hospitals in Kyiv.

Later, Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets reported that the first evacuated residents of Oleshky have already completed treatment and headed to relatives. Temporary housing was found for those who cannot live with family. At the same time, the ombudsman said there have been new appeals from residents of the occupied city who also want to leave.