UKRAINE, DNIPROPETROVSK OBLAST, Jan. 8 — On Jan. 8, the funeral of 22-year-old Anastasiia Parkhomenko and her three-year-old son Maksym took place in Rannii Ranok village in the Dnipropetrovsk oblast, said the Lozuvatka village administration.

Anastasiia and Maksym were the first whose bodies rescuers found during a search operation after a Russian attack on the center of Kharkiv on Jan. 2.

On the evening of Jan. 2, the body of Maksym was found under the rubble. Anastasiia was considered missing. Her body was later found overnight on Jan. 3.

Anastasiia grew up in the Kryvbas village in the Dnipropetrovsk region. After graduating from school, she got her education at a technical school in Kryvyi Rih.

Maksym was born on Apr. 19, 2022, and then Anastasiia and her son left the country because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Living abroad, Anastasia met her husband, who was originally from Kharkiv. Together the family returned to his hometown.

Kharkiv locals bring toys to the site of the Russian attack in memory of Maksym.

Photo of a toy that Kharkiv locals brought to a house destroyed after a Russian attack.
Photo of a toy that Kharkiv locals brought to a house destroyed after a Russian attack on Jan. 2 / Photo: Gwara Media, Mykyta Kuznetsov

The Kharkiv Prosecutor’s Office said that on Jan. 2, Russian troops attacked the city with two Iskander missiles. They hit a five-story apartment building. At least 30 people were injured, including a six-month-old child.

Oleh Syniehubov, the governor of the Kharkiv region, said that the special services identified seven people killed in the Russian attack. Seven more people remained in  hospital, the press service of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration told journalists.

“Debris removal work will continue at the site of the Russian attack until the rubble has been completely cleared and all those who may have been there areidentified,” said Syniehubov.

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