Iryna Fokina: Komyshuvakha Nurse Buried Eight Days After Airstrike
The 55-year-old anaesthetic nurse was among 55 killed when Russian planes hit a school shelter, leaving 19 people missing under the rubble.
By John Ferrari ·
Iryna Fokina, a nurse in Komyshuvakha, was buried on November 10, eight days after a Russian airstrike killed her.
The strike hit a school on November 2 that was being used as a shelter for residents receiving humanitarian aid. Russian forces launched a second attack while people were taking cover. Authorities have confirmed 55 deaths, though they have only identified 30 of the victims. Nineteen people remain missing under the rubble as rescue operations continue. The dead include local residents, police officers, and State Emergency Service employees.
Fokina worked as an anaesthetic nurse, a role that required her to visit ill and elderly patients daily. She monitored their medication, helped them obtain necessary drugs, and prepared meals for them. Beyond her medical duties, she spent her days at a local canteen cooking for the community. She also assisted with the care of local animals. A Polish medical organization, NZOZ Śląska Misja Medyczna KKN, worked with her in 2023 and described her as a quiet figure who told every patient, "I'll come and see you this evening to check that everything is all right."
The Accessible Sterilisation initiative, which collaborated with Fokina, noted that their ten-day mission revealed a person of deep modesty. They recalled replacing her worn car tyres the previous winter. Despite having the chance to leave the city for a safer location, Fokina stayed behind to continue her work. The group characterized her as an unsung hero who was deeply valued by her immediate neighbors but largely unknown to the wider public.
Colleagues and community members described her life as one dedicated to the comfort of others. She balanced the care of elderly humans with the welfare of local animals. Her death is part of the ongoing toll in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, where emergency responders face daily risks. During the search and rescue efforts at the school site, Russian forces used a drone to attack State Emergency Service personnel. The workers survived, but their equipment was damaged.
