News Feed, Finland, Ukraine, Luhansk Oblast, War, Foreign fighters

Finnish ex-politician killed fighting as volunteer in Ukraine

by Nate Ostiller and The Kyiv Independent news desk August 19, 2024 1:24 PM 1 min read

Finnish and Nato flags flutter at the courtyard of the Foreign Ministry in Helsinki, Finland on April 4, 2023. Photo for illustrative purposes. (Antti Hamalainen/Lehtikuva/AFP via Getty Images)

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Finnish volunteer fighter Ville Mykkanen, who decided to join Ukraine's army in the fall of 2023, was killed in action in Luhansk Oblast, the media outlet YLE reported on Aug. 18, citing a Finnish mental health association (Sodan Kokeneet) that supports combat veterans.

Mykkanen is the fifth known Finnish volunteer fighter to have been killed fighting for Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale war. Another Finnish fighter was killed in Donetsk Oblast in mid-July.

A former politician, 26-year-old Mykkanen wanted to "influence significant issues and advance justice in the world" even from a young age, his family said in a statement.

"Russia's war of aggression started focussed Mykkanen's attention on the real fight for peace and freedom. He had a strong will to defend a free nation."

Mykkanen "made the greatest sacrifice anyone could ever make, losing his life for freedom," his family said.

Jussi Tanner, head of consular affairs at Finland's Foreign Ministry, told YLE in February that the country estimates that around 20-30 Finnish nationals are currently fighting alongside Ukraine's army.

Authors: Nate Ostiller, The Kyiv Independent news desk

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