Former Ukrainian Antarctic expedition member and military doctor Valerii Semeniuk has died while serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, according to the National Antarctic Scientific Center (NASC, Ukraine).
Semeniuk, 58, passed away on June 7 while on active duty. He was serving as a captain in the medical service and worked as a physician in the medical rehabilitation and recovery department of Military Unit A7010. According to the center, he remained on duty until his final moments, serving as the physician on a 24-hour shift.
Born on May 13, 1967, Semeniuk worked at the Khmilnyk Central Hospital in Ukraine’s Vinnytsia region from 1994 to 2022. He also participated in three year-long Ukrainian Antarctic expeditions, serving as the station doctor during the 11th (2006–2007), 14th (2009–2010), and 18th (2013–2014) missions.
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he was mobilized into the Ukrainian Armed Forces in May 2022.
Colleagues from the Ukrainian Antarctic program remembered Semeniuk as a principled, honest and dedicated professional who actively contributed to expedition life beyond his medical duties. Fellow polar explorer Yurii Otruba noted that Semeniuk often helped younger team members adapt to life in Antarctica and encouraged physical activity and team cohesion during long winter deployments at the station.
The National Antarctic Scientific Center expressed its condolences to Semeniuk’s family, friends, colleagues and fellow servicemen, describing his death as a significant loss for Ukraine’s Antarctic community.
