Roman Maksymyuk, former Ukrainian footballer, confirmed dead in combat

Roman Maksymyuk, a former Ukrainian national football team midfielder, has been confirmed dead following his disappearance on the front lines. His death was verified through DNA testing that matched samples from his daughter, Daria.

Maksymyuk, who was 50 or 52 years old according to various reports, had volunteered for the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the autumn of 2022 following the Russian invasion. He served in the 25th Separate Airborne Sicheslav Brigade and was last in contact with his wife, Vera, on January 30, 2025. During that final call, he informed her he was heading to the Pokrovsk area in the Donetsk region, a high-conflict zone, and warned that communication might be lost for some time.

Before his military service, Maksymyuk had a prominent professional football career, playing for major clubs including Dynamo Kyiv, Dnipro, Chornomorets, and Zenit Saint Petersburg. He earned five caps for the Ukrainian national team between 1998 and 2002. In June 2025, the Ukrainian national team honored his memory by wearing his jersey and military jacket during a friendly match against Canada.