In a heartbreaking turn of events, Tomas Valentėlis, a brave Lithuanian soldier who volunteered to fight for Ukraine against Russian invaders, has tragically lost his life. His body was recovered from the battlefield during the night of 6-7 April after fierce combat.
As reported by Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT, the devastating news was confirmed by fellow soldier Jara, who fought alongside Tomas. “It all happened overnight,” Jara explained, adding that Tomas’s personal belongings and documents were missing, suggesting that they had been taken by the enemy during the chaotic aftermath of the battle.
Tomas’s father, Dainius Valentėlis, confirmed his son’s death, expressing his immense grief at the loss of the young soldier who had dedicated his life to helping Ukraine in its ongoing struggle.
This marks the latest in a growing number of international volunteers who have paid the ultimate price for Ukraine’s cause. Earlier this year, Kakha Tilidze from Georgia, Edgars Platonovs from Latvia, and Richard S. from Austria were also killed in action while fighting alongside Ukrainian forces.
In January, another tragic loss occurred when Filip Antosiak, a 19-year-old Polish volunteer, was killed near Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast. Antosiak, who had left his studies in the UK to join Ukraine’s strike UAV unit, became another victim of the ongoing war, highlighting the extraordinary sacrifices made by international volunteers.
