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In Memory of Two Ukrainian Boys Who Defied Occupation—and Paid the Ultimate Price
They weren’t fighters—just schoolboys, until the war turned them into something else. Under Russian occupation in Berdyansk, Tihran Ohannisian and Mykyta Khanhanov chose one final act of resistance. It cost them their lives. Two years on, their story stands as a stark symbol of youth defiance—and of how war leaves no one untouched.
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![Ivan_khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
-21d0b63c17f6020e4df75f6c6f9a2f4f.jpg "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
When two teenage boys took up arms in occupied Berdyansk, they were not motivated by illusions of victory. What they carried was defiance—a final response to a system that had detained, interrogated, and isolated them for months.
What unfolded on that evening in June 2023 was more than an isolated clash. It marked the final chapter in the lives of two Ukrainian teenagers growing up under occupation—and a stark reminder that Russia’s war against Ukraine spares no one, not even its children.
Berdyansk under Russian control
Tihran Ohannisian and Mykyta Khanhanov were 16 years old when Russian forces captured Berdyansk, a port city on the Azov Sea, in the early days of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Between February 2022 and June 2023, the two boys lived under occupation—marked by surveillance, interrogations, and growing pressure from Russian authorities.
Like many residents, they quickly found themselves under strict control, subject to searches and questioning.
Tihran was a school student interested in history, living with his grandmother while his parents remained temporarily abroad. Mykyta was his classmate and close friend.
Both were reportedly involved in online pro-Ukrainian communities and, according to local sources, may have taken part in sabotage efforts aimed at disrupting Russian military logistics, including damaging railways used by the occupying forces.
Their views and activities quickly drew the attention of the occupation authorities.
Arrest, torture, and the beginning of the end
On September 30, 2022, Russian soldiers entered Tihran’s home, reportedly beat him in front of his grandmother, and took him to a detention facility outside the city. For several days, his family had no information about his whereabouts.
Human rights groups later reported that Tihran was subjected to physical abuse and electric shocks during interrogations.
The aim, they said, was to obtain a confession regarding alleged assistance to the Ukrainian military. Following public pressure, he was released on October 5.
However, surveillance and interrogations continued. Both boys remained under close watch for months.
They tried to escape—Russia dragged them back
In early 2023, Tihran’s family attempted to leave occupied territory. They were stopped in Taganrog, Russia, and returned to Berdyansk by Russian authorities, who reportedly stated that Tihran was not permitted to leave.
In April, the teenagers were transported to Rostov-on-Don for a psychological evaluation. A month later, they were formally charged by the Russian Investigative Committee with plotting to sabotage a railway near Melitopol.
If convicted, they faced up to 20 years in prison under Russian “anti-terrorism laws.”
The European Parliament passed a resolution calling for their release. Ukrainian officials and human rights organizations condemned the prosecution, describing it as politically motivated.
“That’s it. It’s death, guys. Goodbye.”
On June 24, 2023, Tihran and Mykyta went missing.
That evening, according to eyewitnesses, an incident occurred on Berdyansk’s seafront promenade in which the two teenagers allegedly attacked Russian personnel.
One soldier and one local collaborator were reportedly killed during the brief confrontation. Tihran and Mykyta were killed shortly afterward by Russian security forces. No effort was made to detain them alive.
A video later surfaced, reportedly filmed by Tihran before the attack, in which he states, “That’s it, it’s death, guys. Goodbye. Glory to Ukraine.”
Russian officials referred to the event as a counter-terrorism operation. Ukrainian observers questioned the circumstances of the deaths, citing the boys’ prior surveillance and suggesting that Russian forces may have anticipated their return and prepared a lethal response.
Occupation justice: dead teenagers and staged evidence
Following their deaths, Russian authorities withheld the teenagers' bodies. A funeral scheduled by their families was canceled after the occupation administration denied access to the morgue. Tihran’s grandmother was never permitted to see his remains.
Weeks later, the bodies were reportedly transferred to Melitopol for “additional forensic examination.” Ukrainian human rights groups suspect the move was intended to suppress evidence of execution-style killings.
Over the following year, the boys’ families repeatedly petitioned for the return of their remains. In July 2024, it was revealed that the occupation authorities planned to bury the teenagers in unmarked graves without informing relatives.
Denied even in death
Following their deaths, Russian occupation authorities withheld the bodies of Tihran Ohannisian and Mykyta Khanhanov.
A funeral planned by their families for June 29, 2023, was canceled after access to the morgue was denied. Armed personnel were stationed at the facility, and Tihran’s grandmother was not allowed to view her grandson’s remains.
Weeks later, the bodies were secretly transferred to Melitopol, reportedly for additional forensic examination. According to Ukrainian human rights organizations, this action was intended to obscure physical evidence—particularly gunshot wounds consistent with targeted killings.
For over a year, relatives petitioned for the return of the bodies. In July 2024, it was revealed that the occupation authorities intended to bury both teenagers in unmarked graves, without notifying their families or allowing them to be present.
To the occupiers, the two teenagers were treated as criminals. To Ukraine, they are remembered as young civilians who resisted occupation and lost their lives as a result.
