On the night of April 16, when the Russian army massively shelled Kyiv with missiles and drones, four people died. Among them was 11-year-old Maksym Veremchuk. The boy was in the 5th grade of the Children's Engineering Academy. As a sign of grief and sympathy, a corner of memory of Maksym, whose life was mercilessly cut short by Russia, has now been set up there.
On April 17, Suspilny correspondents visited the educational institution and spoke with the teachers of the deceased Maksym.
Maksym Veremchuk lived with his parents in a residential complex in Vynohradar, which was targeted by the Russian army on the night of April 16. The boy's life was cut short in his own bed.
They learned about the death of their student at the Children's Engineering Academy at the Mykhailo Dragomanov State University in the morning. The family's neighbors were the first to report the terrible news, because Maxim's classmate lives in the same house, says Olga Sydorenko, the deceased boy's class teacher. And then the parents wrote that Maxim was gone.
“He was a very sunny, cheerful, kind, and friendly boy. He had a large circle of friends. So when we told the children about what happened to Maksym, even the school psychologist… It was very difficult to calm the children down. They were in such despair…”, recalls the teacher.
A school psychologist worked with the children after the tragedy.
“This is the first time in our institution that we say goodbye to our student so prematurely. And in this regard, the first actions were to instruct the class teacher and practical psychologist to conduct a conversation, first of all, with the fifth “A” class, where Maksym studied…, because for them this is the most traumatic situation when you lose a member of your team,” said Lucezara Didyk, deputy director of the Children's Engineering Academy.
The academy declared a day of mourning and set up a corner of memory for Maxim. Everyone who wants to can bring flowers, children's toys, and postcards. Then they will take it all to Maxim's grave.
A corner of memory of Maxim has been set up at the academy. Social News/Daria Nematian Zolbin
Maksym's class teacher told Suspilny that he was a capable student. He was fond of mathematics and robotics.
“The boys love this subject, they design, in particular, future robots and machines. Also mathematics, very good at mathematics, he is such a capable boy. He has a high, high level of knowledge. He is more of a mathematician, you could say, a mathematician,” the teacher said.
This was Maxim's first year of study at the academy.
“Even during the entrance campaign in June 2025, he proved himself to be a very capable boy in mathematics and logic…Yesterday morning, the world simply turned upside down for the Children's Engineering Academy, because no one expected that this bright, beautiful boy would pass away like this,” said the deputy director of the educational institution.
A corner of memory of Maxim has been set up at the academy. Social News/Daria Nematian Zolbin
A link to a bank was left on the academy's Facebook page to financially support the deceased's family.
“A collection for assistance has been opened, because the family's apartment has already been damaged, and they have already collected a not very large, but a fairly normal amount to help the family, to at least somehow help and support them,” the class teacher said.
On Saturday, April 18, a farewell to Maksym will take place at the Syretski Sady residential complex.
“The family informed us that tomorrow there will be a farewell ceremony for Maxim near their house, and they invite everyone who wants to say goodbye. First, in the morning, they will come and take away all the flowers, toys, everything that parents, students, and teachers have prepared in memory of Maxim,” said Lucezara Didyk, deputy director of the Children's Engineering Academy.
What is known about the Russian attack on Kyiv and the region on the night of April 16?
On the night of April 16, the Russian army launched a combined strike on Kyiv with ballistic missiles and drones. According to the State Emergency Service, four people were killed . In the Podilskyi district, two people died: an 11-year-old boy and a 35-year-old woman. In the Obolonskyi district, two more people died – they were car dealership security guards.
According to Kyiv police, the number of injured people exceeded 60. Among the injured are three police officers, four medics, and two foreigners.
As reported by the State Emergency Service, there is extensive damage in Podilskyi, Obolonskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, and Desnianskyi districts.
The Kyiv region was also under attack by the Russian Federation at night. According to KOVA, there were no deaths or injuries, but there was damage to buildings and production facilities of the enterprise.