Jelo, volunteer from Sri Lanka, died defending Ukraine: he was buried in Rivne region. PHOTO
While defending Ukraine against Russian aggression, Hakuru Baddalage Genada Lahiru Kavinda, a soldier from the International Legion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine originally from Sri Lanka and known by the call sign ‘Jelo’, was killed on the front line. The soldier was buried in the Rivne region alongside a fellow soldier, also from Sri Lanka.
The tragic news was reported on Facebook by soldier and photographer Oleksandr Zakletskyi, according to Censor.NET.
What is known about the volunteer?
Junior Sergeant Hakuru Buddalage Gedana Lahiru Kavinda Hathurusinghe joined the International Legion in October 2023. From June 2025, he served in one of the Ukrainian Armed Forces units as a master sergeant and commander of a platoon in the counter-sabotage unit.
He took part in the fighting near Andriivka and in the Serebrianskyi Forest.
Jelo was killed on 3 April 2026 in the Sumy region.
His final wish was to be buried alongside his commander
Hakuru Baddalage Genada Lahiru Kavinda was laid to rest on 15 April in Mlyniv, Rivne region.
"The soldier asked to be buried in Mlyniv next to his comrade-in-arms — the Sri Lankan Shehan Ranishka. Shehan himself had requested to be buried near the grave of his commander and close friend Taras Kokhanuk... Shehan became his (Jelo’s — ed.) commander. In December 2023, Jelo and Shehan were carrying out a combat mission together and were wounded. Jelo tried to save his commander until the very end, and when he died, he asked to be buried beside him. Taras’s parents looked after the graves of their son and Shekhan. They say they will now also look after Jelo’s grave," Zakletskyi said.
