Jewish Elite Operative Laid to Rest in Ukraine

Shimon Kostiantynovych, an elite operative in the Ukrainian army who was killed in battle by a Russian drone, was buried by shluchim in Dnipro’s Jewish cemetery. Due to his clandestine activities, his picture was banned from publication in Ukraine.

Last week, a funeral was held for Shimon Kostiantynovych, a Ukrainian soldier whose military duty was extremely secretive as part of an elite unit. Shimon is one of over 100 Jewish soldiers who were killed by the Russians since the Ukrainian invasion last year.

Dozens of people gathered last week at the Jewish cemetery in Dnipro for the funeral, according to a Ynet report. Shimon was an only child and has been on active duty for the past year. Due to the nature and secrecy of his service, the military has refused to disclose details about his duties, his photo has been banned from publication, and no photos were allowed at the funeral as well.

The Jewish community in Ukraine has begun referring to him as “Emmanuel Moreno of Ukrainian Jews”, referencing the IDF soldier Lt. Col. Emmanuel Moreno, who was killed in the Lebanon war and has his information still classified to this day.

“He was a hero who fought for Ukraine’s freedom,” said Rabbi Yakov Sinyakov, who works with Jewish soldiers on behalf of the Ukrainian federation. He supplies the fighters with religious articles, and strengthens them before battle.

“In addition to the many Jewish casualties, there are still soldiers missing who have yet to be brought to a Jewish burial. In our synagogue in Dnipro, led by shliach Rabbi Shmuel Kaminetzky, we learn and daven for their neshamos, confident they are crying out above for Am Yisroel,” members of the Jewish community in the city said.