Kyiv bids farewell to Danyla Smirnov, a soldier who studied in Lithuania

More than 100 people gathered in Kyiv to say goodbye to Danyla Smirnov, a Ukrainian soldier killed during a combat mission in the Donetsk region. Relatives, fellow soldiers, friends and city residents brought flowers and formed a human corridor of respect outside St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery.

As the crowd called out, “Glory to Ukraine!” and spoke words of tribute, Smirnov’s coffin was carried into the church. Clergy held a memorial service before the funeral procession left for the Forest Cemetery, where he was buried in the Avenue of Heroes.

Smirnov had wanted to defend Ukraine since his teenage years. When Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, he was 16. His father and uncle served in territorial defense, while Smirnov stood watch at a checkpoint near his home and helped soldiers.

After finishing his studies in Lithuania, he returned to Ukraine and persistently sought a way to reach the front. Just days before his 18th birthday, he approached the recruiting center of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade. Once he became an adult, he immediately signed a contract with the unit. He served as the commander of a unit in Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence International Legion and was known by the nickname “Surfer.”

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Glory to Ukraine!