Combat medic of the 3rd Assault Brigade. Maryna Hrytsenko. KIA – Thursday, August 7, 2025.
She was 39.
A single mom.
She leaves behind her 15-year-old daughter, Yulia.
Maryna was killed by a Russian drone while serving with two brothers on the front line.
You might wonder—what drives a single mother to step into the heart of a war?
Beginning in Peace
Maryna’s story begins in Ripky. The name might work for a village or small town in Alberta. Ripky was a peaceful village in northern Ukraine, bordered by Belarus and Russia. She came from a family of doctors. She studied history at the National University Chernihiv Collegium.
For years, she worked as chief curator at the Chernihiv Art Museum. The art wasn’t just her job—it was her passion.
When Russian troops invaded in February 2022, Maryna moved into the museum with Yulia to protect its treasures from foreign looters. Her colleagues remember her as “the resilience of our museum during the siege… stronger than many of us.” 
Her North Star
Maryna’s compass was clear. She and Yulia were active in Plast, Ukraine’s scouting movement.
She mentored children scarred by war. The Plast promise says:
“I swear on my honor that I will… Love God and Ukraine, Help others, and live according to the Scout Law.” 
In February 2023, Maryna joined the 3rd Assault Brigade. First as a gunner-medic. Later as a combat medic in the battles for Kharkiv.
On March 1, 2023, she posted:
“It’s important to be where you are really needed.”
Beauty During War
Scrolling back through her Facebook posts reveals her eye for beauty even in war. Flowers blooming beside shattered walls. Sunlight breaking through smoke. She carried hope like a torch in the darkness. 
When she died, her museum posted:
“We have lost not just a staff member; we have lost a part of ourselves.”
In January 2025, she received the Order for Courage from President Zelensky—honoring her bravery in saving brothers on the front line.
And I can’t help but end with a story she loved:
“Once, there was a legend of a small, quiet man who collected all the sad tears, turned them into stars, and placed them in the sky. When the sadness was gone, the star would fall so someone on Earth could make a happy wish. Good night.”
Maryna lived for love of God, love of country, and love of others.
This is another in s series of stories of war time Ukrainians. Read about Vika here and Roma here.
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