- June 30, 2025
- 11:26 pm
- Israel
The farewell ceremony took place at the site of the Iranian missile strike.
Farewell at the Site of Tragedy: Bat Yam Mourns with Ukraine
On June 30, 2025, in the Israeli city of Bat Yam, a memorial ceremony was held to honor five Ukrainian citizens killed by an Iranian missile strike. All the victims were members of one family from Odesa, who came to Israel seeking safety and medical treatment. Among them were three children.
The ceremony took place at the missile strike site, a destroyed residential building hit on June 14 by a ballistic missile launched by the regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Victims List:
| Name | Age | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| Nastya Buryk | 8 years old | Was being treated for leukemia |
| Maria Peshkureva | 30 years old | Nastya’s mother |
| Olena Sokolova | 54 years old | Nastya’s grandmother |
| Ilya Peshkurev | 14 years old | Nastya’s cousin |
| Kostyantyn Tutevych | 10 years old | Nastya’s cousin |
A Family Fleeing Illness – Killed by a Missile
The family arrived in Israel in December 2022 after acute lymphoblastic leukemia was diagnosed in Nastya. She began receiving treatment at an Israeli clinic. Many procedures were carried out, including a bone marrow transplant in January 2023. However, a relapse occurred, and in spring 2025 doctors proposed experimental treatment.
“I’m scared, but I choose hope”, — wrote Nastya’s mother Maria a month before the tragedy.
The treatment cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Money was raised from all over the world — by volunteers, charities, and compassionate people.
How the Tragedy Happened
On June 14, 2025, an Iranian missile struck a residential building in Bat Yam. The siren sounded 45 seconds before the impact, but the family did not make it to the shelter in time. At the moment of the attack, they were all in the living room. A direct hit caused part of the building to collapse and started a fire. All five died instantly.
Maria Peshkureva, Nastya’s mother, was listed as missing. Her body was officially identified only on June 19 at the Forensic Medical Institute.
“Terrorism knows no borders and will not go unpunished”
These are the words of the Embassy of Ukraine in Israel, whose representatives were present at the ceremony:
“We express our gratitude to the President of Israel I. Herzog and Mayor of Bat Yam Mr. T. Bruto for their kind words of support and solidarity with Ukraine in light of the tragedy.
The Iranian regime, responsible for the murder of innocent civilians, continues to show blatant disregard for the norms of international humanitarian law.
Its actions are supported by Russia — the aggressor state that has been waging war against Ukraine for over ten years while also fueling instability in the Middle East.
Eternal memory to the innocent victims.
Terrorism knows no borders and will not go unpunished.”
Israel’s Support and Solidarity with Ukraine
According to Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, all the victims were Ukrainian citizens without repatriate status. The family was in Israel as tourists. Nevertheless, Israel received them as its own.
“May the memory of the innocent victims of the Tehran regime’s war crimes be blessed forever,” — stated the official release from the Israeli MFA.
The Ukrainian Jewish community and Ukrainian rabbis expressed condolences. Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Azman also voiced words of support on behalf of the Jewish community.
The Pain of Two Nations
Nastya’s father, Artem Buryk, a serviceman of Ukraine’s 95th Air Assault Brigade, remained in Ukraine. He continues to serve and fight not only at the front, but also for the memory of his family. His story is a shared tragedy of Ukraine and Israel.
The family fled putin’s war but was killed by the Kremlin’s ally — the Iranian terrorist regime. It is crucial to remember: the attack targeted civilians, not military infrastructure. This is a war crime.
NAnews – Israel News continues to follow this story and the cooperation between the Ukrainian and Israeli sides. We believe that silence is complicity, and supporting innocent victims is our shared duty.
This tragedy is a reminder of how deeply connected the destinies of the Ukrainian and Jewish peoples are. Israel became this family’s last hope and final refuge. Israel’s support in this tragedy is not only a humanitarian act — it is a global signal: evil must not prevail.
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