Russian missile strike on Kyiv kills 6-year-old karate student Matvii Marchenko

The Ukrainian Karate Federation reported the information on Facebook.

During the night, Russian forces carried out a massive attack on Kyiv. One of the missiles hit a residential building, taking the lives of more than a dozen people. Among the victims was 6-year-old Matvii Marchenko, a member of the Sen-Bin karate club.

He was the youngest son in his family and had two brothers, Mykhailo (8 years old) and Lev (12 years old), who also practice karate.

According to coach Ihor Yefymenko, Matvii had been practicing karate for a year and a half. Despite his young age, he was very determined and took his training very seriously. The coach emphasizes that Matvii was the soul of any group and always looked up to older kids, especially his brother.

"Today, Ukraine has lost another bright child’s soul. Another little dreamer. A future champion. A boy who had goals, willpower, and a big heart. A life that was just beginning. This is not just a tragedy. This is the result of cynical, bloody Russian aggression that takes innocent lives every day. Matvii has become yet another child killed by a Russian missile. The world must know: in Ukraine, it’s not just children who are being killed. Our future is being killed," the statement says.

• On the night of July 31, Russian forces launched a massive drone and missile attack on Kyiv, resulting in the deaths of 13 people and injuring dozens more.