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Ukrainian Special Forces Recover Body of Lithuanian Volunteer After Initial Evacuation Team Wounded

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Ivan Khomenko
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Ukrainian Special Forces Recover Body of Lithuanian Volunteer After Initial Evacuation Team Wounded
Tomas Valentelis. (Source: B. Gerdziunas / LRT)

Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SSO) have completed a complex mission to retrieve the body of 20-year-old Lithuanian volunteer Tomas Valentelis, who was killed during combat operations in east of Ukraine.

According to a statement released by the SSO on July 1, Valentelis had served in the International Legion and was killed near Kupiansk following a Russian strike involving FPV drones and artillery.

His body remained in contested territory for several weeks as Russian forces advanced and established three positions surrounding the area. The closest Russian post was located just several dozen meters away.

Lithuanian volunteer Tomas Valentelis. “(Source: Facebook / Tomas Valentelis)
Lithuanian volunteer Tomas Valentelis. “(Source: Facebook / Tomas Valentelis)

Due to the high risk of further casualties, the SSO postponed immediate recovery efforts and began planning a dedicated operation, codenamed “Messenger.”

The unit trained in terrain resembling the operational zone and organized personnel into specialized roles, including logistics, observation, planning, medical evacuation, and recovery.

During the mission, special forces operators approached the location under concealment, established a defensive perimeter, and sent two soldiers to identify and prepare the body for extraction. The evacuation took place under mortar fire.

The operation lasted only a few minutes, and the body was successfully transferred to medical personnel from Valentelis’s unit. No Ukrainian personnel were injured during the mission.

Ukrainian honor guard carries the coffin of Tomas Valentelis and his portrait during the funeral procession in Kyiv. (Source: ArmyInform)
Ukrainian honor guard carries the coffin of Tomas Valentelis and his portrait during the funeral procession in Kyiv. (Source: ArmyInform)
Ukrainian soldiers and civilians gather on Independence Square in Kyiv during the farewell ceremony for Lithuanian volunteer Tomas Valentelis. (Source: hromadske)
Ukrainian soldiers and civilians gather on Independence Square in Kyiv during the farewell ceremony for Lithuanian volunteer Tomas Valentelis. (Source: hromadske)

Lithuanian media LRT previously reported that an earlier attempt to evacuate Valentelis resulted in four soldiers being wounded.

Valentelis was killed on March 13 during his first combat engagement. He had traveled to Ukraine from London, where he was visiting his mother.

According to Lithuanian authorities, Valentelis had cut off contact with his family prior to joining the International Legion and was later located through official channels.

His father, Dainius, told reporters that his son had been searching for purpose and meaning in life and expressed frustration over his treatment in Ukraine.

Ukrainian servicemen cover the coffin of Tomas Valentelis with Ukrainian and Lithuanian flags at Independence Square. (Source: hromadske)
Ukrainian servicemen cover the coffin of Tomas Valentelis with Ukrainian and Lithuanian flags at Independence Square. (Source: hromadske)
A Ukrainian soldier holds a framed photo of Lithuanian volunteer Tomas Valentelis during the ceremony. (Source: hromadske)
A Ukrainian soldier holds a framed photo of Lithuanian volunteer Tomas Valentelis during the ceremony. (Source: hromadske)

Fellow servicemembers, however, described Valentelis as highly motivated and willing to take on dangerous assignments, stating that he often said he “had nothing to lose.”

A farewell ceremony was held in Kyiv on April 14, followed by the repatriation of his body to Lithuania later that month.

Earlier, Czech volunteer Karol Kucera was posthumously awarded the Medal of Heroism by Czech President Petr Pavel for his role in defending Ukraine. Kucera, who joined the International Legion in 2022, was killed near Bakhmut in March 2023. His family also received Ukraine’s Order for Courage (III degree), recognizing his sacrifice as a symbol of European solidarity.

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