Five Staff Members Killed at Izium Disease Control Lab
Russian guided aerial bombs struck the facility on October 29, killing five women who had recently resumed work after the city's liberation.
By Samantha Reed ·
Five women died on October 29 when Russian forces dropped three guided aerial bombs on the city of Izium. The attack targeted a branch of the Kharkiv Oblast Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, killing all five staff members inside the building. The Ministry of Health confirmed the deaths, noting that the women had been among the first employees to return to the site after Ukrainian forces liberated the city from Russian occupation.
Viktoriia Prokopenko, who headed the sanitary and hygiene laboratory, was among the victims. She had worked in healthcare for 36 years and was scheduled to turn 59 on November 3. Her colleagues described her as a skilled professional and a compassionate person. She is survived by her husband, daughter, and grandson.
Yuliia Dovzhenko, a laboratory technician in the bacteriology unit, also died in the strike. She had served in that role for nearly 38 years and was set to celebrate her 57th birthday on November 2. Her family includes a husband, son, two granddaughters, and a sister.
Valentyna Prus, a laboratory technician in the sanitary and hygiene lab, was 55 years old at the time of her death. She had joined that specific department in 2021 and was known for her professional dedication. Her husband and daughter survive her.
Anzhela Prokhortseva, an accountant for the center, was 54 when she was killed. On the morning of the attack, she was speaking by phone with colleagues at the regional center. Witnesses reported hearing the whistling sound of the incoming bomb and her attempts to escape before the call ended. She is survived by two daughters.
Olena Hryshchenko, a cleaner for the facility, was 58 years old. She had joined the team recently but quickly became a core part of the staff, ensuring the laboratory remained clean and functional. The October 29 strike injured 12 other people in Izium. Earlier that month, 80-year-old Valentyna Mikhnova was killed in another part of Kharkiv Oblast when Russian forces dropped 10 guided aerial bombs on her village.
