Ukranian Billionaire Killed in Targeted Missile Attack, Made His Fortune Building Storage Facilities and Infrastructure for Exporting Grain

Oleksiy Vadaturskyi, and his wife were among the dead after what President Volodymyr Zelensky called “one of the most brutal shellings” since the war began. 

Mr. Vadaturskyi’s company, Nibulon, confirmed that he and his wife, Raisa, died in their home. Tributes to Mr. Vadaturskyi — who had been declared a “Hero of Ukraine” more than a decade ago for his contributions to society — poured in from across the country as news of his death spread. 

Mr. Zelensky called it “a huge loss for Mykolaiv and for all Ukraine,” later referring to Mr. Vadaturskyi as a “hero.” 

Mr. Vadaturskyi made his fortune in the agricultural industry: His company, Nibulon, has built storage facilities and infrastructure necessary for exporting grain. 

He was killed just as the first shipments of grain since the beginning of the war in Ukraine were being loaded onto freighters at Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea after a monthslong blockade. 

On Sunday, Turkey — which along with the United Nations helped broker a deal to get the grain moving — said the first ship carrying grain was expected to leave the port of Odesa as soon as Monday morning. 

It was not clear if Mr. Vadaturskyi was directly targeted or if he was, like thousands of civilians killed by Russian bombs, just in the wrong place at the wrong time.