Spanish man killed by Russian drone attack in Ukraine
Juan Luis Amador Matías, who was originally from Villapalacios (Albacete), was involved in the "recovery of wounded troops" from the frontlines when he died
A Spanish citizen died in a Russian drone attack in Ukraine on 20 September. Juan Luis Amador Matías, who was originally from Villapalacios (Albacete), was contracted by the Ukrainian army to participate in work related to the recovery of wounded people from the frontlines. According to his brother, Juan Luis died on the first day after returning to Ukraine following the signing of his second contract with the army.
Juan Luis was a drone expert. Earlier this year, taking advantage of the end of his first contract with the Ukrainian army, he spent a few days with his family in Albacete, where his parents, sister and 14-year-old daughter live.
Mayor of Villapalacios José Ángel Rodríguez told Radio Castilla-La Mancha that the victim "had been shot and his comrades had tried to hide him under a tree, but a Russian drone ended up killing" him. The tragic event occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning. One of Juan Luis' comrades delivered the news to the soldier's mother.
The leader of the PP party in Castilla-La Mancha - Paco Núñez - also confirmed the tragic news on his social media profile. He expressed his condolences to the family of Juan Luis, who died "while rescuing wounded people in Ukraine". "Thank you for your dedication and exemplary work as a soldier, always at the service of others," Núñez wrote.
The Spanish embassy in Kyiv is in contact with the Ukrainian authorities to gather all the information and, if necessary, provide assistance to the relatives. "We are working as hard as we can to get Juan Luis back with us and with his loved ones," said deputy mayor of the municipality José Luis García. He stated that the tragic news has shocked the town's community.
Villapalacios is preparing several tributes in memory of Juan Luis, whose work of solidarity is remembered by family and friends. According to El diario digital de Albacete, his close ones describe him as a "committed and brave man". They also highlight his strong sense of duty, recalling that "he always said that it was cowardly to resign and that he would never do so".
His brother Miguel Ángel said that Juan Luis travelled to Ukraine in October last year to "defend" Europe from the Russian threat. However, the soldier's family was unaware that he had returned to the front mid-September and only found out about his decision when he was already back in Ukraine after signing a second contract with the army.
