Who was Artiom Naliato, the 21-year-old who died in Ukraine during a Russian bombing: he had enlisted as a volunteer
The conflict
Ukrainian by birth, Italian by adoption, Artiom Naliato died on Monday under Russian bombing in Ukraine , where he had returned to fight to defend its borders from Russian aggression that had been ongoing for over three years.
Raised in Tribano, in the province of Padua , where he was adopted by a local family , Artom had been in Ukraine since June 1st: he had enlisted in the International Legion for the Territorial Defense of Ukraine , a unit made up of people with foreign citizenship, but he intended to return by August 17th for the birthday of Giada, his adoptive sister.
On Monday, July 21, he was in the canteen of a training center near Kiev when the facility was targeted by a Russian raid, resulting in the death of the 21-year-old. He had already visited Ukraine for the first time in May 2022, when the war had broken out a few months earlier, staying in his country for about 90 days, partly to try to find his brother.
"We gather with affection and sorrow around the family who welcomed and raised him with love," wrote Tribano Mayor Massimo Cavazzana on Facebook. "Today, Tribano loses one of its sons. The void he leaves is profound, but we will remember him for the courage of his choices."
l'Unità
