Title: Tragic Loss: Renowned Scientist Igor Zima and Family Killed in Russian Drone Attack on Kyiv
A renowned scientist, Dr. Igor Zima, and his family succumbed to a cruel fate in the early hours of January 1, 2025, when a series of Russian drone strikes hit Kyiv. The 68-year-old biomedical scientist, known for his illustrious 40-year career, was sleeping at home when his life was cruelly cut short, along with his wife and pet cat.
The heart-wrenching news was shared by friends of the family, first secretary at the Ukrainian embassy in Kenya, Alexey Bobrovnikov, and his wife, Darinya Tretyakova-Dushechka, via their Facebook page. Tretyakova-Dushechka wrote, "On 01/01/25, during the first wave of drone attacks on Kyiv, our dear friend, the brilliant scientist Dr. Igor Zima, along with his wife and their cat, was cruelly killed. We were supposed to celebrate [New Year’s] at their place."
Zima, a distinguished professor at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, was widely respected in the scientific community for his significant contributions to biomedical research.
Drone Strike on Kyiv: What We Know So Far
On the night of December 31, 2024, to January 1, 2025, Russian forces launched a drone attack on Ukraine, targeting primarily Kyiv, the capital. The city’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, reported that two civilians lost their lives, and seven sustained injuries due to the attack.
The strike resulted in partial destruction of a residential building in the Pechersky district and damage to tram tracks near a tram depot in the Sviatoshinsky district. Furthermore, a Areal Bombing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (ABUAV) fragments fell on the roof of one of the National Bank of Ukraine’s (NBU) buildings in the Pechersky district.
In a later development, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine (MVD) confirmed that two pregnant women were among the injured. Search and rescue efforts in the affected areas are still ongoing.
This incident serves as a grim reminder of the ongoing conflict and its devastating impact on innocent lives, including those of Ukraine’s intellectual elite. The world stands united in condemning such targeted and inhumane attacks.
