A pregnant soldier mourns her 21-year-old husband at his funeral in Ukraine

A pregnant soldier mourns her 21-year-old husband at his funeral in Ukraine 1 of 5 | Family and friends pay their respects to soldier Danyil Smyrnov, 21, who was killed on the frontline, during his funeral ceremony in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Babenko) 2 of 5 | Relatives and friends mourn near the coffin of Ukrainian serviceman Danyil Smyrnov, 21, who was killed on the frontline, during the funeral ceremony in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Babenko) 3 of 5 | Ukrainian servicemen carry the coffin of fallen soldier Danyil Smyrnov, 21, who was killed on the frontline, during the funeral ceremony in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Babenko) 4 of 5 | Family and friends pay their respect to soldier Danyil Smyrnov, 21, who was killed on the frontline, during the minute of silence on Independence Square, Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Babenko) 5 of 5 | In this March 20, 2024 photo made through night vision goggles, Ukrainian serviceman Danyil Smyrnov participates in an infantry mission in Umanske, Adviivka direction, Ukraine. (AP Photo/Alex Babenko) 1 of 5 | Family and friends pay their respects to soldier Danyil Smyrnov, 21, who was killed on the frontline, during his funeral ceremony in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Babenko) 1 of 5 Family and friends pay their respects to soldier Danyil Smyrnov, 21, who was killed on the frontline, during his funeral ceremony in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Babenko) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 2 of 5 | Relatives and friends mourn near the coffin of Ukrainian serviceman Danyil Smyrnov, 21, who was killed on the frontline, during the funeral ceremony in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Babenko) 2 of 5 Relatives and friends mourn near the coffin of Ukrainian serviceman Danyil Smyrnov, 21, who was killed on the frontline, during the funeral ceremony in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Babenko) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 3 of 5 | Ukrainian servicemen carry the coffin of fallen soldier Danyil Smyrnov, 21, who was killed on the frontline, during the funeral ceremony in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Babenko) 3 of 5 Ukrainian servicemen carry the coffin of fallen soldier Danyil Smyrnov, 21, who was killed on the frontline, during the funeral ceremony in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Babenko) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 4 of 5 | Family and friends pay their respect to soldier Danyil Smyrnov, 21, who was killed on the frontline, during the minute of silence on Independence Square, Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Babenko) 4 of 5 Family and friends pay their respect to soldier Danyil Smyrnov, 21, who was killed on the frontline, during the minute of silence on Independence Square, Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Babenko) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 5 of 5 | In this March 20, 2024 photo made through night vision goggles, Ukrainian serviceman Danyil Smyrnov participates in an infantry mission in Umanske, Adviivka direction, Ukraine. (AP Photo/Alex Babenko) 5 of 5 In this March 20, 2024 photo made through night vision goggles, Ukrainian serviceman Danyil Smyrnov participates in an infantry mission in Umanske, Adviivka direction, Ukraine. (AP Photo/Alex Babenko) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] Kyiv, Ukraine (AP) — A pregnant woman in a black dress stood at the head of her 21-year-old husband’s casket Tuesday in Kyiv, mourning the man she met when they were both soldiers fighting Russia’s full-scale invasion of their country. Yeva Smyrnova and Danyil Smyrnov both joined the army in 2023, at 18, and married two years later, in July 2025. Young as they were, decided they needed to hurry and start a family. “We dreamed of this child, but because we were both always at war, it was very difficult,” said Smyrnova, who serves as a drone pilot under the call sign “Yunha.” Danyil Smyrnov was killed in action on Aug. 28, 2026, on the Sumy front in northeastern Ukraine, one of a group of four soldiers killed in action serving with military intelligence. He held the rank of junior sergeant, served as a reconnaissance operator, and helped train recruits. “This month our son is due to be born — the son Dania dreamed about so much. He dreamed of being the best father,” Smyrnova told The Associated Press. But instead of choosing a name for her firstborn child, she and hundreds of others came to say goodbye to her husband at St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery.In the days after Smyrnov’s death, his wife wrote online that their son would be “his continuation.”