Irishman missing in Ukraine ‘always wanted to help others’

Alex Ryzhuk, the Irishman missing in action and presumed dead in eastern Ukraine, was proud of his Ukrainian heritage, the principal of his Dublin school has said.

Clare Catterson, principal of Synge Street school, where Mr Ryzhuk attended from 2016 to 2021, told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland that he always had a smile on his face.

“He always wanted to help others, that was a very strong trait. He had himself involved in all aspects of school life. He was on the judo team, the basketball team. He loved volleyball. He particularly loved Halloween. Every year we would do the Trick or Treat for Temple Street, all our students would dress up. And every year he came in decked out from head to toe. Everyone would have been eagerly waiting to see what he would have been dressed up in that particular year.

“He was a very dedicated student as well of the business subjects. Accountancy, Business, Economics, took them all for his Leaving Certificate. He had often spoken about going on…