Roman Maksymyuk, former Ukrainian footballer, confirmed dead in war

Roman Maksymyuk, a former Ukrainian international footballer, has been confirmed dead following DNA testing. His death was announced by his wife, Vera, after he had been missing in action since January 2025.

Maksymyuk, 52, had volunteered for the Ukrainian armed forces in the autumn of 2022 to defend his country following the Russian invasion. He served in the 25th Air Assault Brigade and was operating in the high-risk Pokrovsk area within the Donetsk region when he went missing. His last communication with his family occurred on January 30, 2025, when he informed his wife he was heading to combat positions.

During his professional football career, Maksymyuk earned five caps for the Ukraine national team and played for prominent clubs including Dynamo Kyiv, Dnipro, Volyn, and Zenit Saint Petersburg. He was a winner of the Ukrainian Championship and Cup with Dynamo Kyiv in 2000, and the Russian Cup with Zenit in 1999.