A 21-year-old pregnant Ukrainian soldier has been left widowed after her husband, whom she met while serving in the army against Russia, was killed on the front line.
Junior Sergeant Danyil Smyrnov was among four Ukrainian soldiers who died in combat on the Sumy front in northeastern Ukraine on August 28.
His wife, Yeva Smyrnova, who is eight months pregnant with their baby boy, grieved beside family, comrades and mourners at his funeral at St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv on September 3.
‘He wanted all of us to be able to live in peace,’ she said. ‘And in the end, he paid for that with his life.’
Hundreds gathered for the service at the historic monastery, a site often chosen for military funerals in Ukraine, where fellow soldiers laid bouquets of roses in tribute to Smyrnov.
The couple’s story began in 2023, when both joined the Ukrainian army at the age of 18. Two years later, in July 2025, they were married.
Smyrnov served as a reconnaissance operator and also helped train new recruits, while Yeva served as a drone pilot under the call sign ‘Yunha.’
As the risks around them grew in Ukraine’s war against Putin’s Russia, the young couple chose to build a future together and start a family.
Junior sergeant Danyil Smyrnov, pictured with his wife Yeva Smyrnova. They met when joining the Ukrainian army in 2023
Mr Smyrnov was one of four soldiers killed on the Sumy front in northeastern Ukraine on August 28
Ms Smyrnova walks behind the coffin during the funeral procession at St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv on September 3
Speaking about the decision to have a child, Ms Smyrnova said: ‘We dreamed of this child, but because we were both always at war, it was very difficult.’
Five days after her husband’s death, she said on social media: ‘In a few weeks, his legacy is due to be born, our son, little Smirnov.’
Mr Smyrnov was just 16 and finishing school when the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
He started studying psychology at a Lithuanian university but dropped out after fighting intensified around Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, where his uncle was serving.
The day Mr Smyrnov, who was known as ‘Surfer’ – due to the time he spent surfing in Bali while visiting his mother – turned 18, he signed a military contract.
His father, Oleksandr recalled the day his son told him that he was going to war.
‘He – called me that evening, very happy, and said, “Sorry, Dad, I signed the contract. I forged your signature. Forgive me,”‘ he said.
The bereaved father added that despite the difficulty of losing his son he found comfort in the thought of having a grandson.
Mr Smyrnov commanded an assault group in the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade before he was wounded by shrapnel in both legs, underwent rehabilitation and then transferred to Ukrainian military intelligence.
During his time in the military, he frequently posted about the war to more than 40,000 followers on Instagram.
In one post, written around his birthday, Mr Smyrnov wrote: ‘In my 20 years, I’ve understood one thing: people don’t value life until they feel its edge.
‘War is not romance. It’s an experience that strips you down to what’s real.’
The post continued: ‘The choice is simple: who will you be – a victim, or someone who takes responsibility?’
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