Nearly a month after Lithuanian volunteer soldier Gediminas Steponavičius went missing in Ukraine, his family believes he may have been captured rather than killed.
The 55-year-old went missing in mid-May after his unit came under fire from Russian forces near Donetsk during a mission. The group was attacked by Russian drones, and the area was later occupied by Russian troops. His body has not been recovered, and no official confirmation of his death has been issued.
Steponavičius’ relatives continue to hope he is alive and in captivity.
“That would be the best possible news, because he was a member of the Ukrainian armed forces,” his cousin Arvydas Akstinavičius told LRT TV. “If he had only been a volunteer, the chance of surviving captivity would be zero.”
According to the family, Steponavičius’ contract with the Ukrainian military was due to expire on April 30. He had previously been wounded and surrounded in combat just before Christmas last year.
“Due to those injuries, he was supposed to be reassigned as an instructor. Why he was sent on a mission on May 9 is unclear,” Akstinavičius said.
Steponavičius travelled to Ukraine shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. He had been awarded multiple times by the Ukrainian armed forces and most recently served as a sniper. In Lithuania, he previously worked in law enforcement.
Lithuania has already mourned several fallen volunteers in Ukraine, including Tadas Tumas, the first Lithuanian volunteer confirmed killed in the war, and 20-year-old Tomas Valentėlis, who died in combat in March.
Several dozen Lithuanian volunteers are currently believed to be serving in Ukraine.
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