Evangelical seminary dean found dead on streets of Ukraine

Vitaly Volodymyrovich Vinogradov - far left at table. (Image Source: Baptist Press)

 By Diana Chandler - Posted at Baptist Press:

KYIV, Ukraine (BP) – The dean of a small evangelical seminary in Kyiv is among more than 400 civilians found dead on the streets in and around the capital city, the seminary confirmed early April 4 on Facebook.

“Vitaly Volodymyrovich Vinogradov our dear brother, Christian leader, employee and a wonderful person, was found dead in Bucha,” posted Kim Bien Bum, principal of Kiev Slavic Evangelical Seminary (KSES) and pastor of Christ’s Blessing Church. “There are no words to express all the heartache. We will all miss him dearly on this earth, but we are glad that his life goes on forever. … He will be greatly missed.”

After Ukraine pushed back Russian forces nearly 40 days into Russia’s invasion, news images were released showing lifeless bodies of men, women and children strewn on the streets of Kyiv and surrounding communities, including Bucha, with the latest death count at 410.

Widespread outcry over the civilian deaths followed, including a video message from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary graduate Yarsolav “Slavik” Pyzh, president of Ukrainian Baptist Theological Seminary (UBTS) in Lviv.

“For us as a nation, it’s a very difficult time. Seeing what other human beings could do to innocent civilians, women and children, and elderly people,” Pyzh said in the video, “is uncomprehendable [sic]. And days will go before we will learn how to live with this reality. We will not be able to understand it or accept this reality, but we will have to learn how to live with that reality.”

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• Gunned down seminary dean was trying to walk to safety, friend says | Baptist Press