She survived the deaths of her husband and three children, gave birth to a daughter—and died in a car crash

Olha Krivohub, the only member of her family to survive a Russian strike on Bohodukhiv on February 10, 2026, has died in a road accident in the Kharkiv region. At the time, a Russian drone struck the house where her husband and three children were killed. Olha, who was pregnant, survived and later gave birth to a daughter, Kateryna. The infant was also injured in the October 13 crash and taken to hospital.

The woman’s death was reported on October 14 by Suspilne Kharkiv, citing Viktor Kovalenko, head of the Zolochiv community. Before moving to Bohodukhiv, the family lived in Skovorodynivka. After her family members were killed, Olha moved to Nova Vodolaha, registered as an internally displaced person and bought a car.

“She moved there permanently and was registered in Nova Vodolaha. She registered as an IDP there and bought a car. Unfortunately, she crashed in the car. She died. Her child is in intensive care now,” said Viktor Kovalenko.

According to Oleksandr Yesin, head of the Nova Vodolaha community, the crash occurred on October 13, at approximately 5:00–6:00 p.m. Olha was driving from Nova Vodolaha toward Kharkiv, but about 300 meters after setting off, her car went off the road.

“She was driving from Nova Vodolaha toward Kharkiv. She had just left Vodolaha, driven about 300 meters, when the car went off the road. She died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. The child was in the car with her. First, the child was taken to Nova Vodolaha Hospital to be stabilized, then transferred by intensive care ambulance to the Fourth Emergency Hospital,” said Oleksandr Yesin.

According to the Kharkiv Region police, the driver of a Ford Focus lost control, veered onto the right shoulder and crashed into a tree. The accident occurred on the Nova Vodolaha–Vilkhivka–Rokytne–Mokre Rokytne highway. A 34-year-old passenger was also in the car. The man was taken to hospital with injuries and unconscious.

Olha’s daughter, seven-month-old Kateryna, was also injured. According to Yevhen Blahoveshchenskyi, director of the emergency and urgent care hospital, the girl was diagnosed with a fractured rib, bruised lungs and abrasions. Her condition was assessed as moderately serious.

Oleksandr Yesin said that the community was keeping in touch with the medical staff and working on arrangements for the child’s future care. At the time of the comment, documents were being prepared to transfer Kateryna to the regional children’s hospital. Two relatives wanted to take the girl in—Olha’s biological sister and the deceased child’s father’s brother. Their suitability was being assessed.

Investigators entered information about the crash into the Unified Register of Pre-Trial Investigations under Part 2 of Article 286 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine—violation of road safety rules resulting in the victim’s death or other serious consequences.

At the crash site

On the night of February 10, 2026, a Russian Shahed-type attack drone struck the family’s house in Bohodukhiv. Olha and her husband, Hryhorii Shykula, had moved there with their three children shortly before the attack. They chose a house closer to the hospital because Olha was expecting their fourth child.

That night, Hryhorii was asleep in one room with the children—a daughter and twin boys. Olha was in another room, which helped her survive. Her husband and all three children were killed. 34-year-old Hryhorii Shykula was a veteran who had defended Ukraine on the front line for about a year. He fought in the Kupiansk sector and in the Zaporizhzhia region, where he lost a leg. Her husband and children were buried on February 13 in Skovorodynivka, Hryhorii’s home village.

On March 11, 2026, Olha gave birth to a daughter, Kateryna. With support from a charity, donations from the public and assistance from the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, she bought a house in Nova Vodolaha. After losing her husband and children, she tried to start over with her infant. Now Kateryna has lost her mother and needs ongoing care.

We previously reported:

• Pregnant mother thrown by the blast: three young children and their father killed beneath the rubble
• Mother and daughter killed in a crash in Mykolaiv, another daughter in hospital: Audi driver detained
• Car carrying four children plunges from bridge into water: high-profile crash in Mykolaiv region
• Overnight guided bomb strike on Mykolaiv region: mother and her 15-year-old daughter killed beneath the rubble
• Russian missile wiped a house off the map: parents and three children killed in Radushne