Kherson (VINnews) — An 84-year-old Holocaust and World War II survivor died after being critically wounded in a Russian artillery strike on the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, Ukrainian Jewish leaders said.
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The man, Eugene Bonder, was injured several days ago when Russian shelling hit residential areas of the city. Shrapnel penetrated his liver and severely wounded his hand, ultimately leading to an amputation, according to a statement posted on Facebook by Moshe Azman, Ukraine’s chief rabbi.
“Doctors fought for Eugene’s life, but they failed to save him,” Azman wrote, describing Bonder as a parishioner of the Jewish community of Kherson.
Bonder survived Nazi persecution as a child during World War II and later spent most of his life in Kherson, where he was known within the local Jewish community, according to the rabbi’s statement.
Azman condemned the attack, calling it another example of what he described as Russia’s so-called “denazification” campaign. He said the war has continued for nearly four years and has killed civilians of many nationalities “who simply live peacefully here.”
Russian forces have continued frequent shelling of Kherson and surrounding areas since withdrawing from the city in late 2022, with civilian neighborhoods repeatedly coming under fire. Russia denies deliberately targeting civilians.
Bonder’s death adds to the mounting civilian toll of the war, including survivors of earlier atrocities who have now been killed amid the ongoing conflict.