A Family Devastated by War

In her college application letter, Daryna Bazylevych described her family as “incredibly close-knit and harmonious.” She wrote about her parents’ unwavering support and the powerful stories they shared about Ukraine’s history. “They are the strongest pillar in my life and help me overcome any obstacle,” she expressed, reflecting on the deep bond that united her family.

But in a tragic turn of events, that family has been shattered. Of the five members of the Bazylevych family, only Daryna’s father, Yaroslav, remains alive. He is the sole survivor of a devastating Russian missile strike on their home in Lviv, a city in western Ukraine once considered a sanctuary.

On Wednesday, while sheltering in the staircase of their residential building, Daryna, 18, her older sister Yaryna, 21, her younger sister Emilia, 7, and their 43-year-old mother Yevhenia were all killed, according to Ukrainian emergency services. The family had sought safety in the staircase, which was thought to be the most secure location in the building.

Yaroslav survived only by chance — he had briefly returned to their apartment to fetch water for the family. The staircase, deemed the “safe place,” was where his family remained when the missile hit.

A City and Nation in Mourning

The deaths of the Bazylevych family members have sent shockwaves through Lviv and across Ukraine, where the family had deep ties to the community. Andriy Sadovyi, the mayor of Lviv, shared that Yaryna, the eldest daughter, worked in the town hall, contributing to the “Lviv – Youth Capital of Europe 2025” initiative.

Daryna, the middle sister, had been excelling as a scholarship student of Ukrainian culture at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, where she had just begun her second year of studies. Her university released a heartfelt statement: “This is a great and irreparable loss. There are no words that can describe this grief. Let us pray for the souls of the innocent victims. Let us pray for Yaroslav, the father.”

A Family Rich in Culture and Community

The Bazylevych family were beloved members of their community, with Yevhenia, the mother, and her two older daughters active in the Ukrainian Scouts movement, which promotes leadership, community service, and cultural preservation. In a tribute, the Scouts described Yevhenia as a “creative, intelligent, positive, and bright personality.”

A family photo that has since circulated shows them all dressed in vyshivankas, the traditional Ukrainian embroidered clothing that symbolizes national pride and cultural heritage. It’s an image that stands in sharp contrast to the devastation they faced.

A Safe City No More

Lviv, a city located near the Polish border, had long been seen as one of the safest places in Ukraine. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, it has become a refuge for internally displaced people, with thousands fleeing the more war-torn eastern regions of the country. Lviv’s distance from the front lines and the Russian military often meant that its residents had more time to take cover during air raids, as missiles and drones had farther to travel.

Yet, even this supposed haven has not been immune to Russia’s increasingly aggressive missile strikes. The Bazylevych family were among seven people killed in Lviv on Wednesday. Just a day earlier, in Poltava, two Russian missiles struck a military educational facility, killing 53 people and injuring more than 270 others, marking an exceptionally deadly week for Ukraine.

End of a Family, a Nation’s Continued Struggle

The tragic deaths of Yevhenia and her daughters have prompted an outpouring of grief and anger, not only from the residents of Lviv but across the entire country. This once-safe city, now a target of Russian aggression, has become a place of mourning for families that believed they had escaped the worst of the war.

Yaroslav Bazylevych, now the lone survivor of his family, must carry the unimaginable burden of having lost his wife and three daughters in a single, brutal strike. The war in Ukraine, once thought to be contained to the east, has reached deep into the heart of communities that believed themselves safe.

As Ukraine faces the ongoing assault from Russian forces, stories like the Bazylevych family’s reveal the personal toll of the conflict. The destruction of their lives — from a mother and daughters who were vibrant, engaged members of their community, to a father now left alone in his grief — underscores the human cost of this relentless war.

A Nation in Grief

For the people of Ukraine, the loss of families like the Bazylevyches is a painful reminder that no part of the country is truly safe from Russian missiles. The grief is profound, and the calls for peace have never been more urgent. The staircase that was supposed to protect the Bazylevyches became the place where their lives were tragically cut short. As Ukraine continues its fight for survival and sovereignty, the personal stories of those who have fallen in this war will remain etched in the collective memory of a nation.

For Yaroslav, and for all those left behind to mourn, the grief is overwhelming. The once close-knit and harmonious family has been torn apart, leaving a void that can never be filled.