Donetsk school named after Russian and American soldiers killed in Ukraine conflict
A school in the Russian city of Donetsk has been named in honor of a Russian soldier and an American volunteer who died fighting together in Donbass.
The ceremony at School No. 115 in the capital of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) on Tuesday was attended by senior officials.
Russian paratrooper Ivan Kokovin and American fighter Michael Gloss, the son of CIA Deputy Director Juliane Gallina, both served in the 331st Guards Airborne Regiment. The two men were posthumously awarded the Order of Courage, a Russian state honor.
Kokovin and Gloss were reportedly killed on April 4, 2024, during an assault on fortified Ukrainian positions near Chasov Yar in Russia’s Donetsk Region. The critical high-ground and logistics hub was liberated by Russian forces in July this year.
DPR head Denis Pushilin said at the ceremony on Tuesday that the naming was intended to ensure that the memory of the two men would live on. Russian Education Minister Sergey Kravtsov added that their example showed that “courage knows no nationality.”
A memorial plaque has been unveiled at the school, which now bears the names of the two men. Officials announced that a museum dedicated to their service will also be established within the school.
Gloss, who was 21, traveled to Russia in 2023 and enlisted under a different name. His father said earlier, citing his death certificate, that he was killed while attempting to assist a wounded comrade under artillery fire. His remains were repatriated to the US last year and he was cremated in his hometown.
Last month, CNN reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally handed US envoy Steve Witkoff Gloss’ posthumous Order of Courage, which he then delivered to Gloss’ mother. A CIA spokesperson told the outlet that the agency expressed condolences to Gallina and described the case as a private family matter.
