Run for Heroes 2026: For Those Who Fell, Supporting Those Who Carry the Loss
Hero Run 2026, Furzton Lake in Milton Keynes
For the third year, Run for Heroes united our community in Milton Keynes, carrying forward the All‑Ukrainian tradition: «Шаную Воїнів, біжу за Героїв України» — “I Honour the Warriors, I Run for the Heroes of Ukraine.”
Hero Run 2026, Furzton Lake in Milton Keynes
We run because they should still be here. Because every name is a life loved, a future stolen, and a family still grieving.
Around Furzton Lake in Milton Keynes, far from Ukraine, every runner carried a Hero’s memory. Every photograph was a life. Every name belonged to someone deeply loved.
Run for Heroes is more than a run — it is our refusal to forget their sacrifice.
This year, Viktoriya Shtanko, CEO of Ukraine Appeal, ran in memory of Oleksii Yukov, Hero of Ukraine. 13 September marked 40 days since his death — a sacred day of remembrance in Ukrainian tradition.
Oleksii spent over twenty‑five years returning fallen soldiers to their families with dignity. On 5 August, he himself did not return from a search mission. Forty days later, we carried his name.
Remembering Our Heroes Is the Least We Can Do
Ukrainian psychologist Iryna Maracine (right) at the Hero Run 2026 in Milton Keynes.
Ukrainian psychologist Iryna Maracine, who leads the wellbeing programme Telling My Story at Ukraine Appeal, had her own Hero to run for. She ran in memory of Yurii Mukhin, forever 21. She knew Yurii personally:
“He was the nephew of my childhood friend, so he wasn’t just a name on a photograph. Behind that name was a familiar face, a real person, and the grief of a family I know.
Twenty-one… An age when life is only beginning. He should have had dreams, love, a career, journeys, a family of his own, and children.
Yurii was his parents’ only child.
Their only son.
Their entire world.
Whenever running became difficult, I looked at his photograph and thought: I can become tired, stop, rest, and return home. Yurii gave his life so that we would still have a home to return to.
This is the devastating price of the right to call ourselves Ukrainians. It is the price of our land, language, culture, identity, and freedom.
Remembering our Heroes is the least we can do. We must speak their names and tell their stories.
Today, I ran for Yurii.
As long as we remember him and speak his name, he remains with us.”
The Grinding Wheels of War
Hero Run 2026, Furzton Lake in Milton Keynes
Among the Heroes we ran for were those close to our community members, and those who have become symbols of the Ukrainian nation’s struggle in today’s devastating war caused by Russia’s aggression. Sadly, each year brings more portraits to carry and more Heroes to remember, as the war continues to swallow the lives of our young and loved.
People who once worked as actors, musicians, athletes, dancers, teachers, engineers, journalists, plumbers and countless other civilian professions have stood up alongside professional soldiers, joining Ukraine’s Security and Defence Forces to protect their homeland. Many of them have been killed.
One of the recent losses since last year’s run was Arseniy Alieksieiev, known as Argon, who was a friend of one of our community members — a police major and drone specialist whose quiet wisdom and deep kindness defined him. After more than twenty years in law enforcement, he joined KORD, Ukraine’s elite special‑operations police unit, to defend Ukraine and became indispensable on the frontline. After being injured, he was killed during an evacuation on 27 February 2026, aged 42. It was a devastating loss for everyone who knew him — his family, friends, and colleagues.
Honouring Our Defenders Throughout the Year
Every time we have the opportunity, we honour our defenders publicly during our events — from “Standing With Heroes” on 24 February, the day Russia invaded Ukraine and began the largest and deadliest war in Europe since the Second World War; to 8 May, when Ukraine marks the Day of Remembrance for those who fell in the Second World War and commemorates all who defended their homeland; to August, when 24 August is Ukraine’s Independence Day and 29 August is the national day of remembrance for service members and volunteers who died defending Ukraine. Ukraine also marks the Day of Defenders and Defendresses on 1 October, which falls on the Feast of the Protection of the Mother of God — a day when, in Ukrainian tradition, the Virgin Mary is honoured as the patron and protector of warriors.
Hero Run 2026, Furzton Lake in Milton Keynes
Run for the Fallen, Help the Struggling
Our Hero Run is a small event, but it helps our community remember the fallen defenders and support one another in these difficult times.
Deep gratitude to everyone who joined our Hero Run. All participation proceeds will go towards purchasing generators for Ukrainian communities under attack. If you can, please donate through the form on our website and select the fund “Generators for Ukraine.”
Eternal memory and honour to our Heroes.
