On April 4, the city of Lviv held a memorial service for Oleg Avdiyiev, a 52-year-old soldier who died on April 2 after sustaining a fatal knife wound to the neck. His funeral took place at the Lychakiv Cemetery, where he was laid to rest in the field of honor.
Colleagues and loved ones gathered to pay their respects, including Lidiya Ilkiv, a sergeant from the Galician-Transcarpathian Territorial Center for Recruitment and Social Support.
“His murder in Lviv, a rear city, while performing his duties is alarming. We see people in the streets ready to attack military personnel. This is a dangerous trend during wartime, and it pains us deeply. Territorial centers are integral to the Armed Forces, and there is a growing sentiment that we are not as grateful to our military as we should be,” Ilkiv stated.
Among those who attended was Avdiyiev’s friend Natalia, who shared her memories of him:
“He was athletic, had a great character, and was a kind person.”
Avdiyiev was buried in section 87 of the Lychakiv Cemetery, designated for honored burials.
Background on Oleg Avdiyiev
Born on April 7, 1973, Avdiyiev earned a degree in Physical Education from the Lviv State University of Physical Culture and later studied International Relations at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, qualifying as an international lawyer.
He completed his mandatory military service and subsequently served in the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, holding various officer positions within border control units and administrative bodies.
Avdiyiev also had a career in sports and public service, working as a chief specialist in the Olympic Sports Department of the Lviv Regional Organization of the Dynamo Sports Society, and as the head of the Postal Processing Zone at Ukrposhta. Since 2018, he served as the head of the Ukrainian Olympians’ Association.
He participated in the XVIII Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, and the XIX Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, USA. Avdiyiev was a winner and medalist in numerous World Cup stages, Grand Prix events, and other international competitions, as well as a champion in various Ukrainian championships.
A master of sports of international class, he also won a bronze medal at the Ukrainian Veterans Swimming Championship.
In 2025, Avdiyiev joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine, serving as an officer in the mobilization department of the Galician-Transcarpathian Territorial Center for Recruitment and Social Support in Lviv.
He was awarded several medals from the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine for bravery and diligent service, as well as the title of “Excellent Border Guard” of the first degree.
Avdiyiev is survived by his wife, mother, brother, and cousin.
Details of the Incident
On April 2, Avdiyiev was fatally injured in Lviv after being attacked on Paton Street while engaged in notification activities. The assailant fled the scene.
Emergency medical personnel attempted to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation but were unable to save him. This was confirmed by Tetyana Andriyeva, spokesperson for the Lviv Regional Center for Emergency Medical Care.
According to the regional prosecutor’s office, Avdiyiev was hospitalized with critical injuries to his carotid artery but succumbed despite resuscitation efforts.
On April 3, Andriy Trush, an inspector at the Lviv Customs, was charged with intentional murder and detained for 60 days without the right to bail. He faces a potential sentence of 10 to 15 years in prison or life imprisonment.
Oleg Avdiyiev, a soldier in Lviv, was honored after being fatally stabbed while on duty. The incident raises concerns about safety for military personnel in civilian areas during ongoing conflict.