Brazilian Volunteer Killed in Ukraine Faces Uncertain Repatriation

Around 2,000 Brazilians have joined Ukraine’s International Territorial Defense Legion since the war began, many serving voluntarily. Psychologist Cláudia Serathiuk, who provides counseling for the soldiers and their families, says the fighters regularly experience intense fear, grief and trauma from bombings, drone attacks and the harsh realities of frontline combat.

One of those volunteers, 24‑year‑old Mateus Sandyel da Costa Campos from Açailândia, Maranhão, was killed in a fight on 31 May. His body remains in a forested area under Russian control, making retrieval impossible at present. Brazil’s foreign ministry (Itamaraty) has confirmed the death but does not fund the transport of remains, limiting its assistance to paperwork and liaison. Mateus’ mother is seeking an official death certificate and hopes the body can eventually be repatriated, but the lack of a legal or budgetary obligation leaves the family in a difficult position.