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First Slovak volunteer allegedly killed in action in Ukraine

Volunteer from Slovakia Rastislav Gajdošík. Credit: Denník N
First Slovak volunteer allegedly killed in action in Ukraine

Slovak volunteer Rastislav Gajdošík has likely been killed in action on Ukrainian front lines, Denník N reported.

Currently, the 40-year-old volunteer from Bratislava, with the callsign Rusty, is officially considered missing. He served as a platoon commander in the International Legion within the Ukrainian Army.

Russian Telegram channels wrote that he allegedly died near Staromaiorske in Donetsk Oblast on 17 June, a date also mentioned by his comrades. Staromaiorske, which had been under occupation since the early days of the all-out war, was liberated in July 2023 and partially reoccupied by Russian forces in mid-June.

At the time of his disappearance, Gajdošík was in an area currently controlled by the Russians, making it impossible to determine his fate or retrieve his body. Friends have already placed a Slovak flag with his name among the thousands of flags in Maidan Square in Kyiv to honor him as a fallen hero, as per European Pravda.

Meanwhile, the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that they have no information on his fate.

Rastislav Gajdošík came to Ukraine to fight as a volunteer in 2022. In his interviews, he explained his motivation by understanding that if Ukraine were defeated, Russia might attack Poland, Slovakia, or the Baltic states.

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