On May 5, 2022, Feldman Ecopark, a site located to the north of the city of Kharkiv, was reportedly hit with Russian shelling. According to officials, local media, and the park’s owner, this resulted in the death of a fifteen-year-old boy and up to three civilians sustaining injuries, two of them serious.

According to the owner of Feldman Ecopark, Alexander Feldman, the strike occurred whilst volunteers were on-site contributing to attempts to remove the park’s animals to safety. Writing on the day of the incident, Feldman provided details in a Facebook post, stating, “During the evacuation of buffaloes from Feldman Ecopark, the team of our employees and volunteers got under fire. One person died. Two people were seriously injured. Doctors are fighting for their lives. The deceased boy was only 15 years old. He helped his parents to feed and evacuate the animals. The blessed memory of the hero will always remain in our hearts. This is the sixth victim from among members of our team.” This incident was subsequently reported by local outlets, including Odessa News and Suspilne Media.

In the afternoon of May 5, the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office announced on Telegram that a pre-trial investigation had been launched concerning the “violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with intentional murder.” The post confirmed that a fifteen-year-old volunteer had been killed and a further three volunteers had been injured.

This assessment has reference to ACLED code UKR57219.