Former Ukraine international Roman Maksymiuk confirmed killed in war

Roman Maksymiuk, a former Ukraine national team footballer who had been listed as missing since January 2025, has been confirmed killed in Russia's war against Ukraine. The Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) announced the news on Saturday, 17 October.

According to the UAF, his death was established through DNA examination. He had been considered missing in action since the end of January 2025. The federation did not say where or when he was killed, and no other details of the circumstances were given in its statement.

Military service

Maksymiuk joined the army in autumn 2022, the UAF said. He served in the 25th Separate Sicheslav Airborne Brigade, part of Ukraine's Air Assault Forces.

A career across Ukrainian football

Maksymiuk played for a string of Ukrainian clubs. The UAF lists Prykarpattia, CSKA Kyiv, Dynamo Kyiv, Dnipro, Volyn and Chornomorets, as well as "other clubs". Dynamo Kyiv is the country's most decorated club; Prykarpattia is based in Ivano-Frankivsk, Volyn in Lutsk and Chornomorets in Odesa.

For the national team he played five matches between 1998 and 2002, according to the federation.

National team tribute

In summer 2025, while Maksymiuk was still listed as missing, Ukraine's national team walked out for a match against Canada carrying his shirt and a military tunic. The UAF said the gesture was meant to support his family and to show the world "that war touches everyone".

The federation expressed its condolences to Maksymiuk's relatives and friends. "Eternal memory," it said.

Context

Ukrainian sport has lost many athletes, coaches and officials since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Some footballers, current and former, have joined the armed forces. The UAF statement did not give a wider count, and this article does not cite one.

No reaction from Maksymiuk's family or former clubs was included in the source post. RealUA will update the story if further details are released.