"Resettled family who escaped the Kyiv attack laid to rest upon their return home"
In the heart of Ukraine's contested Donetsk region, the city of Sloviansk continues to hold strong against ongoing Russian offensives. This region, which has seen some of the worst fighting since Russia's invasion in 2022, remains a battleground with active and intense conflict ongoing as of mid-August 2025.
Sloviansk, along with cities like Kramatorsk, Druzhkivka, and Kostiantynivka, forms a defensive cluster that Ukraine holds in Donetsk Oblast. Russian forces have made recent tactical advances, particularly around Dobropillia, threatening to compromise Ukrainian defenses in the region. However, as of now, Russian forces have not fully broken through to Sloviansk itself.
The family of Sofia Gaponova, a 22-year-old resident of Sloviansk, was tragically struck by a Russian missile attack on July 31, 2025. Sofia, along with her partner Mykyta and their two-year-old son Lev, were killed instantly and in their sleep when a Russian missile tore through their nine-storey residential building in Kyiv, where they had taken refuge after fleeing the fighting in Sloviansk.
Sofia's mother, Natalya Gaponova, found solace in knowing her daughter was with her family at the time of her death. Daria Pasichnychenko, Sofia's childhood friend, recalled blissful memories of their teenage years together despite the fighting in Sloviansk. The attack on their home in Kyiv took one full day for confirmation of Sofia, Mykyta, and Lev's deaths.
The attack involved 309 drones and 8 missiles launched by Russia, making it one of the worst barrages on Kyiv since the invasion began. Over 422,700 people from across Ukraine have taken refuge in Kyiv, making it a city that has borne the brunt of the conflict.
Sofia's father, Svyatoslav Gaponov, led their funeral in Sloviansk. The family was brought to the local cemetery under a scorching sun, where Lev's coffin was lowered into the ground after his parents. Gaponov expressed a desire to bring the family back home to Sloviansk, stating, "One day we will all meet again."
The Donetsk region, while partially under Russian control, remains a contested area with a fluid and dynamic situation. The fighting is expected to continue for multiple years, with tactical advances by Russia possibly aiming to isolate Sloviansk, but full Russian control over the city or the broader region is not currently achieved.
Political discussions surrounding the ongoing war-and-conflicts in Ukraine, particularly in the Donetsk region, continue to dominate general news. The battle for Sloviansk, a city held by Ukraine against Russian offensives, is part of this struggle, with recent tactical advances by Russian forces around Dobropillia posing a threat to Ukrainian defenses. Despite these advances, full Russian control over Sloviansk or the broader Donetsk region is yet to be achieved, as resistance remains strong within the city and its surrounding areas, such as Kramatorsk, Druzhkivka, and Kostiantynivka.
