Russia's invasion of Ukraine has claimed thousands of lives.
Exactly how many is not clear, but the United Nations estimated on Thursday that some 549 civilians have died in the war. Between 2,000 and 4,000 Ukrainian troops have been killed, according to a US official. Anywhere between 3,000 and 6,000 Russian troops may also have been killed.
Statistics cannot do justice to the tragedy of war. Those who have died were sons, daughters, fathers and mothers. The loss of their lives cannot be measured in numbers.
WalesOnline has brought together images and stories of some of those who have been killed in the crisis.
Pasha Lee
Pasha Lee, a Ukrainian actor and TV host, died after joining his country's fight. He was 33 and had worked as a dubbing artist on movies such as The Lion King and The Hobbit.
He was killed during shelling in Irpen after joining the Territorial Defence Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Mirror reports.
In a translated Instagram post on Saturday, he wrote: ‘For the last 48 hours there is an opportunity to sit down and take a picture of how we are being bombed, and we are smiling because we will manage and everything will be UKRAINE WE ARE WORKING !!!’
He had been sharing images of himself on social media wearing military uniform.
Anastasiya Kasilova, one of Pasha's co-stars on TV series Provincial, paid tribute to the actor on Facebook. "He is an actor, TV presenter, my colleague and a good acquaintance… Never forgive!"
Vitaliy Skakun Volodymyrovych
Ukrainian soldier Vitaliy Skakun Volodymyrovych reportedly blew himself up in order to destroy a bridge and prevent Russian forces from storming in from Crimea.
He died near the start of the invasion, while attempting to fend off a row of Russian tanks at the Henichesk bridge, in the Kherson region, the Mirror reports.
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Ukraine’s armed forces confirmed the death of the trooper near the bridge - which connects Russian-occupied Crimea with mainland Ukraine - after he had mined it with explosives.
"The bridge was mined, but he didn’t manage to get away from there," said an armed forces official. According to his brothers in arms, Vitaliy got in touch [with them] and said he was going to blow up the bridge. Immediately after an explosion rang out."
Vitaliy, a military engineer, was hailed by his fellow soldiers for "significantly slowing down the advancement of the enemy".
Kudrin family
Polina Kudrin was the first child to be killed in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to reports earlier this month. The 10-year-old died alongside her parents when the family was gunned down in Kyiv.
Her brother Semyon, five, and her sister Sofia, 13, were critically ill in hospital. Semyon later died in hospital, a family friend told the Telegraph.
Vets Anton Kudrin and Svetlana Zapadynskaya, and the three children, were reportedly hit by a hail of bullets as they tried to flee Kyiv in a car on Saturday. Anton, Svetlana and Polina were said to have died at the scene.
Deputy Mayor of Kyiv, Volodymyr Bondarenko, shared a picture of Polina. "Her name was Polina,” he said. “She studied in the 4th grade of school in Kyiv.”
Fedko family
Ukrainian policeman Oleg Fedko reportedly lost his whole family including his six-year-old daughter and six-week-old son, after they were shot on the day Russia invaded.
Oleg Fedko, 30, was out on patrol when his family were slaughtered as Russian military opened fire on two cars near Novaya Kakhovka, the Mirror reports.
Sofia Fedko, six, and her new baby brother brother Ivan, died alongside their mother Irina, 27, and two grandparents, Oleg and Anna, both aged 56.
The Metro reports Oleg’s brother Denis was on the phone to the family when the shooting happened. He said: ‘I heard little Vanya [Ivan] was crying loudly. He was only a month and a half old. And then I heard shots. Then there was silence after that, and then shots again. There were two bursts, each two to three shots long. I realised they were finishing them off."
Yevhen Malyshev
Yevhen Malyshev, 19, was a talented skier killed while fighting to stop the Russian advance into Kharkiv.
He was a member of Ukraine's Junior Biathlete team who competed in the 2020 Youth Olympic Games before leaving the sport two years ago to serve in the army.
Vasyl Karlenko, vice-president of the Ukrainian Biathlon Federation, said he was "open, honest, friendly and fair with lots of hopes for the future".
The Mail reports that his girlfriend Ruslana Tkachenko, a fellow biathlete, had been planning to move in with him in two months' time.
"This is a very heavy loss – I can't describe our pain," she said. "He died as a hero and will forever remain a hero for all of us in our hearts."
In a tweet, International Biathlon Union said: "Above all, the IBU expresses its deepest condolences on the loss of former Ukrainian biathlete Yevhen Malyshev (19), who died this week serving in the Ukrainian military. The Executive Board once again condemns the Russian attacks on Ukraine and the support provided by Belarus."
Serge Zevlever
Serge Zevlever, 62, was reportedly shot dead in Kyiv after stepping outside a bomb shelter near the residential building where he was staying with his wife and stepson.
He was born in Ukraine before emigrating to the United States and dedicating his life to finding adoptive American families for Ukrainian orphans, especially those with special needs.
Serge placed more than 3,500 orphans in families and was believed to be trying to finalise more adoptions when he was killed.
One friend of Serge posted on Twitter: "I just received the news that our Ukrainian friend, Serge Zevlever, facilitated our adoption of Lucy, just died. He fought tirelessly for orphaned children & helped thousands find loving homes. He died last night in the streets of Kyiv, fighting for his beloved Ukraine. RIP Serge."
Dmytro Martynenko and Vitalii Sapylo
Two Ukrainian footballers, Vitalii Sapylo and Dmytro Martynenko, have been killed in the war.
Vitalii, a 21-year-old youth team player with second division Karpaty Lviv, died in a battle near Kiev after joining the army as a tank commander.
And Dmytro Martynenko, a 25-year-old player with regional side FC Gostomel, died alongside his mum when their block of flats close to Kiev was bombed by Russian forces.
Trade union FIFPRO said in a statement: “Our thoughts are with the families, friends and team-mates of young Ukrainian footballers Vitalii Sapylo and Dmytro Martynenko, football’s first reported losses in this war. May they both rest in peace.”
Iryna Tsvila
Iryna Tsvila, a writer and mum-of-five, died while defending Kyiv's outskirts alongside her husband Dmytro on day two of the invasion, the Mail reports.
The 52-year-old was the first Ukrainian woman officer killed in the war. She had previously fought in the Donbas in 2014 against pro-Russian separatists. Iryna said she was battling for her daughters and granddaughters "to be born in a free Ukraine".
Paying tribute in a tweet, Ukrainian politician Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze said: "Killed, trying to hold #Russian tanks near #Kyiv... Thank you for keeping us safe! Your murderers & their master will be burning in hell of revenge!"
Iliya
The city of Mariupol has been devastated by Russian bombing. One picture from the city shows a father named Serhii weeping over the lifeless body of his teenage son, Iliya, cradling his head. He was reportedly playing football when he was fatally injured by an explosive.
The boy's body was under a bloody sheet on a trolley at a maternity hospital which has been converted into a medical ward in the southern Ukrainian city.
Iliya is one of many victims of Russian bombardment which has left parts of the Azov Sea port in rubble, Sky reports.
Oleg Amosov
Oleg Amosov was an economist and professor at Karazin Kharkiv National University. The 67-year-old was fatally wounded during the bombardment of residential areas. His death was confirmed in a press release from the university.
The university said it was "deeply saddened" by the loss of the academic, who led the department of economic theory and public finance.
"The work of Oleg Amosov was valued for high professionalism, balance, purposefulness and friendliness," the statement read. "We express our sincere condolences to the family and friends."
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