Thalita do Valle, a 39-year-old former model who had been in Ukraine for just three weeks, died in a Russian missile attack on June 30 in Kharkiv, where she was pinned down amid loud explosions. The volunteer soldier from Sao Paulo died along with former Brazilian army fighter Douglas Burigo, 40, who was on his way to evacuate her from a bunker when he was killed. Thalita do Valle, a 39-year-old former model who had been in Ukraine for just three weeks, died in a Russian missile attack on June 30 in Kharkiv, where she was pinned down amid loud explosions. News flash The former model, who also attended law school, had posted videos from her time in Ukraine on her YouTube channel, documenting her previous experience as a fighter against Islamic State in Iraq. While in Iraq, Do Valle trained as a sniper with the Peshmerga in the independent Kurdistan Region. Her brother, Theo Rodrigo Viera, hailed her as a hero for devoting her life to helping others in desperate need. The former model who also attended law school had posted videos from her time in Ukraine on her YouTube channel documenting her previous experience as a fighter against Islamic State in Iraq.Newsflash Viera told local media that his sister was trapped in a bunker in Kharkiv amid heavy Russian shelling and died of suffocation, according to the Daily Mail. Former Brazilian army fighter Douglas Burigo, 40, was also killed in the airstrike while trying to save the model-turned-sniper.Newsflash “Thalita has always participated in humanitarian missions with the foreign legion of some country or here in Brazil,” Viera said. “She was always moved by the feeling of saving animals and people. My sister has always been a peaceful, genuine progressive. Weapons are part of a framework, of war, but save lives, save animals.” The former model died during a Russian airstrike just three weeks after arriving in war-torn Ukraine.Newsflash Thalita do Valle (left) and Douglas Burigo (right) were killed in Kharkiv, Ukraine.Newsflash In Ukraine, do Valle had trained as a sniper and provided cover for Ukrainian troops from advancing Russian forces. Her brother said she had survived an earlier bombing in Kyiv, where she told relatives she could not say much more as cellphones were being monitored by Russian drones. The deaths of the two volunteer soldiers from Brazil sparked tributes online, including some with photos of them in happier times. “Blessed be Cobra Fumantes,” read one tweet, referring to the Brazilian Expeditionary Force’s nickname – the “Smoking Snakes”. The former model’s brother said he had survived a previous bombing in Kyiv.Newsflash
