A UKRAINIAN ballet star has been killed on a combat mission after signing up to fight against the Russian invasion.
Rosyslav Yanchyshen, 31, died in a mortar attack.
His death was called an “unspeakable loss” by the country’s culture ministry.
The Odesa Opera soloist signed up as a volunteer with Ukraine’s territorial defence in the first days of the war.
Odesa Opera said: “The artist’s ballet shoes were replaced by army boots, and the music by the sounds of mortar fire.”
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He had danced with the company for ten years.
Its boss, Harry Sevoyan, added: “He was a bright, talented, decent, intelligent man.”
One of his most striking roles was that of a soldier dying in the ballet Trymai.
Mr Sevoyan said: “As fate would have it, this role turned out to be prophetic.”
Ukraine's culture ministry said: “From the beginning of the full-scale invasion, he wanted to defend his country from the invader, but the dancer was not accepted into the Armed Forces of Ukraine, so he volunteered and joined the territorial defence.
“At the front, he served as a machine gunner.
“Rostyslav died from a mortar attack, a month before his 32nd birthday. This is an unspeakable loss.”
His theatre’s director Yevhen Lavrenchuk said: “Terrible news. The war has killed Rostyslav Yanchyshen, a soloist with the Odesa Opera Ballet.
“An eternal smile, a bright look – this is how your colleagues will remember you…”