Finnish volunteer soldier tragically killed in Russia’s war against Ukraine

Ville Mykkänen, a Finnish volunteer soldier, lost his life in the battles in the Luhansk region in early August. He was the fifth soldier of Finnish origin to sacrifice himself for Ukraine.

Yle reports this.

The soldier was 26 years old. He was born in the Finnish city of Pühäjärvi.

Before deciding to become a volunteer soldier, the boy was involved in politics and was the head of the Central Party of North Pohjan County youth division.

Mykkänen's family didn't want him to remain an anonymous soldier. According to Juha Kreus, the executive director of the Association of Combatants, the news of the volunteer's death was shared publicly at the behest of his relatives.

It is noted that after Russia launched a full-scale war against Ukraine, Mykkänen decided to volunteer and fight on Ukraine's side.

"Even at a young age, he wanted to improve the world and increase justice in it. The long-term path began with politics and continued with his decision to join the military in Ukraine," the obituary reads.

At the end of autumn 2023, his military career began.

"Ville was a defender of justice," Antti Kaikkonen, the chairman of the Center Party and current Minister of Defense of Finland, said.

The man's death was a shock to not only his family, but also to his colleagues in the political party, friends, and members of the community.

"He had a strong will to defend a free nation. After all, serving under his callsign "Flurry," he made the ultimate sacrifice, giving his life for liberty," the obituary reads.

For reference:

Recently, the medic of "Hospitallers" [Ukrainian volunteer medical battalion – ed.], Oleksandra Mulkevych, was killed by an enemy drone attack.

It was reported that, at the time, Russians had attacked a vehicle belonging to the "Hospitallers" medical battalion with an FPV drone in the village of Bily Kolodiaz in the Kharkiv region. Tragically, two volunteer medics, a man and a woman, who were in the car, lost their lives.

In Kherson, on August 14, during the shelling, two volunteers from the charity organization "Mavi Hilal Ukraine" lost their lives while providing water to the locals.