Extinguished in 2024: Ukrainian stars who died this year

This year took away many Ukrainian singers, actors, athletes and cultural figures / UNIAN collageThe year 2024 became a real test for many Ukrainian stars, and for some it became the last. Despite bright achievements and memorable events, there were also moments when the hearts of Ukrainians were filled with sadness and grief. The losses we experienced this year became not only a personal grief for their relatives and friends, but also a common wound for the entire nation.

This year took away from Ukrainians talented actors, musicians, athletes, directors and other outstanding personalities. UNIAN offers to remember the stars who died this year, but made a significant contribution to Ukrainian culture, and their work was forever etched in history.

Vitaly BilonozkoOn January 9, the heart of People’s Artist of Ukraine Vitaly Bilonozkh stopped beating. The founder of the Melody of Two Hearts music festival passed away at the age of 70. The celebrity spent his last days in the hospital. The artist struggled with diabetes for a long time, but in January his condition suddenly worsened. The cause of death was cardiac arrest. In the creative work of Bilonozkh, the following songs are: “Half of the garden is blooming”, “Melody of two hearts”, “There will be a holiday”, “And the apples are falling”, “I love you, life”, “The family gathers at the table”.

“The words of the songs penetrated to the very heart, which rushed with the silver strings of the singer’s soul, like a prayer, like a testament, like an admonition, like a memory of childhood… His charisma, sincerity and openness, which he seemed to embrace with a velvet baritone, will forever sound in our hearts …” – said the post of the Buryn City Council.

Vitaly Bilonozhko / photo UNIANLyudmila AlfimovaOn February 22, 2024, Lyudmila Alfimova, Honored Artist of Ukraine, passed away. The outstanding actress, known for her roles in the cult films “Wedding in Malynyvka” and “Behind two hares”, passed away at the age of 89.

The artist spent her last days in the village of Pechera in Vinnytsia region, where she died. Alfimova was buried on February 23. Throughout her long career, Lyudmila Ivanovna starred in more than 40 films, and voiced about 170.

Lyudmila Alfimova / Facebook screenshotDmytro KapranovOn April 16, writer and public activist Dmytro Kapranov’s life ended. On the day of his death, he suddenly became ill due to heart problems. Later, his brother – Vitaliy Kapranov – reported that the man suffered a rupture of the aorta, which led to his instant death. He tried to save his brother, but it was too late:

Dmytro died in my arms. I gave him artificial respiration and heart massage, but unfortunately it was useless because the aorta was torn.

The writer was buried at Baikovo Cemetery in Kyiv. He was 56 years old at the time of his death. Together, the brothers published the collection “Tales of Grandfather Panas”, and also founded the “Green Dog” publishing house.

Dmytro Kapranov / photo UNIANBohdan KozakPeople’s Artist of Ukraine Bohdan Kozak died in Lviv on May 28 this year. He died at the age of 84. The celebrity was buried the day after his death at the Lychakiv cemetery in Lviv. Kozak devoted most of his life to the theater. He worked as an actor at the Maria Zankovetska National Theater and was also a teacher at the Ivan Franko Lviv National University.

Bohdan Mykolayovych played roles in the films “The Landlord”, “Pavlo Polubotok”, “Time to Collect Stones”. He was also awarded the Taras Shevchenko National Prize of Ukraine.

Bohdan Kozak / Telegram screenshotIryna FarionLinguist, professor and ex-deputy Iryna Farion died tragically on July 19 in Lviv. The celebrity was killed right in the middle of the street. The man shot the linguist and then ran away. She was taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the head in a serious condition. Despite the efforts of doctors to save her, Farion’s heart stopped forever.

Iryna Dmytrivna was known for her radical and sometimes even scandalous position regarding the Ukrainian language. Her methods were often harsh, but it is important to point out that she devoted her life to the study and study of the Ukrainian language and culture.

Iryna Farion / photo UNIANValery BasselUkrainian theater and film actor, theater director Valery Bassel died on September 8. The movie star played roles in more than 50 films during his career and became an honored artist of Ukraine. In particular, he could be seen in the films “The Meeting Place Can’t Be Changed”, “The Magical Voice of Gelsomino”, “The Green Van”, “Shuler”, “Odesa-Mama”, “Anka from Moldavanka”.

Bassel founded his own theater “Busty Busy” and also served in the Odessa Academic Theater of Puppets. He was 85 years old at the time of his death.

Valery Bassel / Facebook screenshotYuriy RyabchenkoIn September, the guest editor of “League of Laughter” announced the sad news that the Ukrainian humorist, participant of the “League of Laughter” project, Yuriy Ryabchenko, had passed away. The late comedian was best known as an entertainer on Team Nicole Kidman.

“A great loss in a ridiculous family. Yura Ryabchenko passed away – actor and author of the team “Nicole Kidman”, “Luhansk team”, “Druhoi Mir”, “Do Lampochka” (SNU Luhansk), “SNUky” (SNU Luhansk), great talent and just a good person,” the editor noted at the time.

Yuriy Ryabchenko / Instagram screenshotBohdan StashkivPeople’s Artist of Ukraine Bohdan Stashkiv died in a road accident in Transcarpathia on October 7. He failed to control the car, as a result of which it flew to the side of the road and overturned. The 67-year-old performer died at the scene due to non-life-threatening injuries.

In the early 2000s, the Ukrainian singer started the children’s contest-festival “West-XXI Century”. And he was also known for his songs, including “Golden Autumn”, “Only You”, “My November”, “Believe Me”, etc.

Bohdan Stashkiv / Facebook screenshotVyacheslav UzelkovThe famous Ukrainian boxer and fitness trainer Vyacheslav Uzelkov died on November 9 at the age of 45. The athlete spent his last days in a hospital in Vinnytsia, where his heart stopped. For a long time, Uzelkov had health problems. He survived a complicated heart operation. And later it became known that the coach’s condition worsened and he fell into a coma, in which he was for a week. There were a lot of blood clots in his heart, and in the end, it couldn’t take it. Vyacheslav was buried in his native Vinnytsia.

“His name will forever remain in the history of sports, and the example of strength, stability and dedication to his work will inspire future generations,” the Ukrainian Boxing Federation said in a statement.

Vyacheslav Uzelkov / Instagram screenshotYakov TkachenkoThe life of the star of the movie “Dovbush” Yakov Tkachenko ended in December of this year. The actor came to the defense of the country even at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. At first he served in the ranks of TrO, and later joined the 3rd Assault Brigade. However, very recently, the artist died at the front during a combat mission. During his lifetime, he played in many films, including: “Red”, “Pryputni”, “Inglourious Basterds”, “The Price of Truth”.

“On the shield is Yakiv Tkachenko… One of the most talented Ukrainian actors. A true knight. A true friend,” wrote film director Oles Sanin.

Yakiv Tkachenko / Facebook screenshotWe will remind you that earlier we wrote about which of the Ukrainian celebrities became parents this year. Some of the stars dared to become parents for the first time, and some became a large family this year.

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