We remember the students and graduates of our institute whose lives were taken by Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Maksym Levin
7 July 1981 – March 2022
A 2004 graduate of the Faculty of Heat and Power Engineering. A prominent Ukrainian photojournalist, documentary photographer and camera operator, he worked with Reuters, the BBC, TRT World, Associated Press, Hromadske and LB.ua. He covered Russia’s war against Ukraine from 2014. On 13 March 2022, Maksym went to document the consequences of Russian aggression near Huta Mezhyhirska. Heavy fighting subsequently broke out in the area and contact with him was lost. His body was found on 1 April. He was posthumously awarded the Order For Courage, Third Class.
Roman Lytvyniuk
6 January 1972 – 5 May 2022
A 1995 graduate of the Faculty of Heat and Power Engineering. On 24 February 2022, Roman joined the 95th Separate Air Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He served as deputy battery commander in a self-propelled artillery battalion. He was killed in action during an enemy artillery attack.
Mykyta Sovinskyi
29 October 1996 – 11 January 2023
A 2019 graduate of the Faculty of Heat and Power Engineering. Mykyta was born and lived in Kyiv. He graduated with honours from Igor Sikorsky KPI and was also studying part-time for a second degree at the Institute for Applied Systems Analysis. He worked as an engineer in the oil and gas industry. Passionate about history, he won prizes in Junior Academy of Sciences competitions while at school. He drew well, spoke excellent English, read widely and loved classic cinema. He was killed defending Ukraine against Russian forces near Huliaipole.
Volodymyr Mykolaienko
23 September 1989 – 13 January 2023
A 2013 graduate of the Faculty of Heat and Power Engineering. After being wounded near Lysychansk in the summer, Volodymyr completed rehabilitation and returned to service. He transferred to the National Guard of Ukraine and returned to the eastern front. He was killed by mortar fire on 13 January 2023 while defending Bilohorivka.
Volodymyr Bulba
17 March 1986 – 8 March 2023
A 2009 graduate of the Faculty of Heat and Power Engineering. He served in the 26th Separate Rifle Battalion. At the front, Volodymyr worked with drones and later took responsibility for monitoring video cameras. He was killed near Vuhledar after setting out to check the cameras and replace their batteries; enemy forces tracked the group and attacked with artillery. He was awarded the Order For Courage, Third Class.
Oleksii Khabatiuk
19 September 1977 – 4 May 2023
A 2000 graduate of the Faculty of Heat and Power Engineering. He studied energy engineering and thermophysics, receiving his specialist diploma in 2000. He began his career in renewable energy, worked at the State Environmental Investment Agency, headed the Targeted Environmental Investment Fund and spent five years in Naftogaz’s energy efficiency department. He devoted his professional life to Ukraine’s energy independence and efficiency. Called up in spring 2022, he served as a sergeant in the 252nd Battalion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He was killed by a fragment while on a mission in Bakhmut on 4 May 2023.
Volodymyr Demchenko
16 November 1998 – 11 June 2023
A 2020 graduate of the Faculty of Heat and Power Engineering. He began military service on 25 February 2022 and was appointed to an officer’s post on 1 March in the 242nd Separate Territorial Defence Battalion. In July 2022, the battalion deployed to the Kharkiv front. During a combat mission, his unit was attacked with an Iskander missile. Lieutenant Demchenko sustained severe injuries, concussion, multiple bruises and fractures. He died in intensive care at the age of 24. His awards included the Medal For the Defence of the Hero City of Kharkiv, the Medal For Faithful Service, Third Class, and the For Bravery distinction.
Roman Andriichuk
2 February 2005 – 12 November 2023
A second-year IATE student. Roman was born in Kyiv and graduated with a gold medal from School No. 246, which specialised in English. He enrolled in Computer Science at IATE, group ТР-21. In spring 2023, he volunteered for the 12th Azov Special Purpose Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine, serving as a senior driver-mechanic. From 21 August 2023, he was on academic leave for military service. Senior Soldier Roman Andriichuk, call sign Lumus, was killed on 12 November 2023 in the Serebrianskyi forest near Dibrova. He suffered fatal wounds from enemy mortar fire during a combat mission. He was 18.
Leonid Lavrenchuk
27 January 1973 – 20 August 2024
A 2005 graduate of the Faculty of Heat and Power Engineering, Department of Automation of Power Engineering Processes and Systems. Leonid was active in civic life: he took part in the Orange Revolution in 2004, was a member of UNA-UNSO in 2005–2010 and participated actively in the Revolution of Dignity. He began defending Ukraine in 2014 and returned to the front immediately after the full-scale invasion. He repeatedly returned to service after being wounded, fought in the Kursk region and served in some of the most intense areas of the front. He was killed by an enemy drone attack in the Sumy region on 20 August 2024.
Yevhenii Bryzhuk
2 October 1996 – 29 September 2024
A 2020 IATE graduate. Born in Netishyn, Yevhenii attended School No. 1 before enrolling at KPI’s Faculty of Heat and Power Engineering, where he qualified in Nuclear Power Engineering. He started work as a licensed design engineer at the Kyiv office of the French company ENERTEX, designing boiler-house construction and reconstruction projects across Ukraine. His colleagues valued his professionalism, integrity, sound judgement, kindness, responsibility and enthusiasm. He was mobilised in July 2024 through the first division of the Shepetivka Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centre. He was killed on a combat mission near Petropavlivka, Kupiansk district, Kharkiv region, on 29 September 2024.
Oleksandr Liakhov
7 February 2002 – 4 December 2024
A 2023 IATE graduate from Mariupol. He graduated from the Department of Digital Technologies in Energy. At KPI, Oleksandr was active in the Student Council’s education quality department and took part in numerous competitions and events. He later headed the Bilka section of the Scientific Society of Students and Postgraduates at the library. He became an active volunteer after the full-scale invasion. In late summer 2024, he signed a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine and joined the 110th Separate Mechanised Brigade named after General Marko Bezruchko. He was killed by a one-way attack drone while on duty in the Kursk region on 4 December 2024.
Valerii Potoskuiev
28 June 1997 – 10 January 2025
A 2021 graduate of the Faculty of Heat and Power Engineering, Department of Nuclear Power Engineering. After school, Valerii enrolled at Igor Sikorsky KPI in Nuclear Power Engineering. While still a student, he began working at the State Scientific and Technical Centre for Nuclear and Radiation Safety. In June 2022, he joined the Brave to Rebuild initiative, helping reconstruct the Kyiv region and participating in the Brave Bicycles project. He left his position as a lead engineer in the operational safety analysis department to defend Ukraine. A reconnaissance soldier in the Revansh tactical group, Valerii, call sign Atom, was a skilled sniper and UAV operator. He was killed in a firefight on the Zaporizhzhia front while protecting his fellow soldiers.
Pylyp Averenkov
26 January 1994 – 2 April 2025
A 2015 graduate of the Faculty of Heat and Power Engineering, Department of Nuclear Power Engineering. Pylyp was born in Slavutych. After School No. 4, he studied at Igor Sikorsky KPI and earned a master’s degree in nuclear power plant engineering. He volunteered for the Armed Forces of Ukraine in March 2024 and served in the 59th Separate Motorised Infantry Brigade and the 108th Separate Mechanised Battalion, Da Vinci’s Wolves. He was killed on a combat mission near Nadiivka, Pokrovsk district, Donetsk region, on 2 April 2025. He was posthumously named an Honorary Citizen of Slavutych.