A combat medic and chief curator of the Chernihiv Art Museum Maryna Hrytsenko died at the front

On Thursday, August 7, while performing a combat mission at the front, a combat medic of the 3rd Assault Brigade Maryna Hrytsenko (with a call sign "Mary") died. Before joining the army, she was the chief custodian of the Chernihiv Art Museum and a plastunka.

Her death was reported by the Chernihiv branch of “Plast" and the Chernihiv Regional Art Museum.

Maryna Hrytsenko was born on May 26, 1986 in the village of Ripky in the Chernihiv region into a family of doctors. She received her higher education at the Faculty of History at the National University "Chernihiv Collegium" named after T. H. Shevchenko.

In 2021, she joined “Plast” with her daughter and became the clerk of the Chernihiv village. She was passionate about music and Ukrainian historical rituals.

Since 2008, Maryna became a research associate, and then a senior research associate, at the Hryhorii Halahan Chernihiv Regional Art Museum. Later, she became the chief custodian of the museumʼs collections.

With the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion and offensive on the Chernihiv region, she and her daughter moved to live in the museum in order to preserve the exhibits in case of danger of looting.

In February 2023, Maryna joined the army and became a rifleman-medic in the 3rd separate assault brigade. As a combat medic, she participated in the battles for the Kharkiv region. In January 2025, she received the Order "For Courage" for her services to Ukraine.

Maryna Hrytsenko died on the morning of August 7, 2025, along with two comrades at the front — they were attacked by an enemy drone while performing a combat mission.

The deceased is survived by her 15-year-old daughter Yulia and her parents.

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