A Ukrainian ballerina, 31, has been killed in a mortar attack after he left the stage to record to fight the Russian invasion.
- Rostislav Yanchen was a machine gunner defending the territory of Ukraine
- The former ballerina died during a “combat mission” at the age of 31
A prominent Ukrainian ballet dancer has been killed in a mortar attack after he left the stage and joined the fight against the Russian invasion.
The Odessa Opera ballet company confirmed, over the weekend, that Rostislav Janchin, 31, had died during a “combat mission”.
The soloist joined the Territorial Defense of Ukraine in the early days of the war after dancing with the troupe for ten years.
The country’s culture ministry described his death as an “unspeakable loss”.
Ukrainian ballerina Rostislav Yanchin, 31, has been killed in a mortar attack after leaving the stage and recording to fight against the Russian invasion.
Soloist Rostyslav Yanchyshen (pictured) joined the Territorial Defense of Ukraine in the early days of the war after dancing with the Odessa Opera ballet company for ten years.
About his death, the company said: “The artist’s ballet shoes have been replaced by military boots, and the music of his favorite performances has been replaced by the sounds of mortar fire.” Mr. Yanchyshen pictured with a fellow dancer
Yanchen volunteered to heroically defend Ukraine within days of Putin’s all-out invasion of the nation.
Local media reported that the ballerina, who is understood to have “loved Ukraine more than anything”, was a machine gunner.
“The artist’s ballet shoes have been replaced by military ones, the music of his favorite performances has been replaced by the sounds of mortar fire,” said Odessa Opera.
Harry Sevoyan, head of the Odessa Opera, praised Mr. Yanchen as “an intelligent, talented, respectable and intelligent man”.
“He was one of the first to go to defend his fatherland, not by summons, not by order, but by his own decision.”
One of Mr. Yanchyshen’s most striking roles was that of a dying soldier in Trymai’s ballet.
“As fate would have it, this role turned out to be prophetic for the artist.”
The ballerina, who is understood to have ‘loved Ukraine more than anything’, reportedly served as a machine gunner in Ukraine’s territorial defense. In the photo: Rostislav Yanchin
Harry Sevoyan, head of the Odessa Opera, praised Mr. Yanchen as “an intelligent, talented, respectable and intelligent man”. Mr. Yanchen is photographed during a ballet performance
Rostislav died in a mortar attack, a month before his 32nd birthday. “This is an indescribable loss,” the Culture Ministry said. Mr. Yanchen is photographed during a ballet performance
His theater director Yevin Lavrynchuk said, “An eternal smile, a radiant look—that’s how your colleagues will remember you…” Mr. Yanchen was photographed with a fellow dancer
And the Ministry of Culture said: “From the beginning of the total invasion, he wanted to defend his country from the invader, but the dancer was not accepted into the Ukrainian Armed Forces, so he volunteered and joined the territorial defense.
At the front, he served as a machine gunner.
Rostislav died in a mortar attack, a month before his 32nd birthday. This is an indescribable loss.
His theater director Yevin Lavrynchuk said: “Terrible news. The war killed Rostislav Yanchin, a soloist of the Odessa Opera and Ballet.
“Eternal smile, radiant look – this is how your colleagues will remember you …”
