Project HOPE Mourns Loss of Former Team Member in Ukraine 

Statement by Chris Skopec, Executive Vice President for Project HOPE 

We are deeply saddened to share that an artillery attack in eastern Ukraine damaged a health clinic supported by Project HOPE and killed in the attack was Dr. Oleksandr Baranov, a 30-year-old family doctor who occasionally served as a substitute psychologist for Project HOPE’s mobile medical unit in Nikopol, Ukraine. Another doctor was severely injured. We are grieving the loss of Dr. Baranov and send our deepest condolences to his wife and newborn daughter.  

Dr. Baranov worked tirelessly as a family doctor in Nikopol, dedicated to his patients despite the ongoing war. He offered critical mental health support to patients through Project HOPE’s mobile medical unit.  

This devastating attack not only took a young doctor’s life and injured another but highlights the extreme dangers health workers face every day in Ukraine. Even as they risk their lives providing essential care on the frontlines, they continue to be targets of senseless violence. We condemn this and all attacks on health care workers and facilities. Despite these threats, our team in Ukraine remains committed to providing critical care to people in Ukraine.