31-year-old Viacheslav Borysov of Odesa died on 23 January 2026 during surgery in a Kamianske hospital. His mother Liudmyla Borysova told Suspilne that on day 18 of range firing he collapsed from pain. This is not Viacheslav Borysov of Sivka-Kaluska and not a Skelia death.
Chronology
- 25.12.2025 — mobilized in Odesa, in the Cheremushky area, and sent to train as a drone operator.
- On day 18 at the range, during firing, he became ill. He was taken to the medical post, then to a hospital in Kamianske.
- For several days, the family says, he was treated for back pain. Then the diagnosis changed and he was taken to surgery.
- 23.01.2026 — he died during the operation.
- As of Suspilne's 5 June 2026 report, the body had still not been buried. The family won a court order to open a criminal case.
Accounts
Mother
Liudmyla Borysova told Suspilne Odesa:
"They busified my son right in our neighborhood, where we live, in Cheremushky. The recruitment center took him to check his data."
"He said: 'Mom, my back hurts terribly. My shoulder really bothers me.' As soon as he put on the body armor, it started to hurt."
"He was in training for 18 days. On day 18 at the range, during firing, he became ill. He collapsed from the pain."
She retold his last words before surgery:
"Mom, they want to operate. I cannot understand why there was one diagnosis and now suddenly another, urgent one."
And what she was told at the second hospital:
"They said three days were really lost, because they were treating him for something completely different from what needed treatment."
Stepfather
Borys Kucherenko told Suspilne that the case was not registered at first:
"The court made the only right decision. They were ordered to open a criminal case."
Babel
On 25 June 2026 Babel corrected that Viacheslav Borysov died in a different unit and removed him from the Skelia death list.
Sources
- Suspilne Odesa — My son is still not buried — 05.06.2026
- Babel — correction that Borysov did not die in Skelia — 25.06.2026