The leaders of two Ukrainian communities in Europe died suddenly three days apart: on September 13, 2026, Pavlo Sadokha, vice president of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) in Southern Europe, deputy chair of the UWC's World Coordination Council for Education and Upbringing, and president of the Union of Ukrainians in Portugal (SUU), and on September 16, Roman Rodyk, founder of the Ukrainian diaspora in Barcelona (Spain) and chairman of the Ukrainian Youth Community in Catalonia, passed away.
This information came to light through a UWC post and posts on Rodyk's and his wife's Facebook pages. It is reported that both died of cardiac arrest.
On September 13, 56-year-old Sadokha was found dead in the city of Quarteira (Algarve region). Initially, medical professionals diagnosed a heart attack. However, Sadokha was a key figure in the resistance against Russian influence in Portugal; he publicly exposed spy networks and regularly received direct threats of violence. Due to the widespread attention the case received, the Portuguese Attorney General's Office officially opened a criminal investigation. Relatives and associates insisted on a thorough forensic medical examination and extensive toxicological tests to completely rule out the possibility of poisoning by hidden cardiotoxins.
The Portuguese newspaper Jornal de Noticias reported that although the cause of death has not yet been confirmed, it is believed to have been due to natural causes. Sadokha had a history of heart disease, and police at the scene found no evidence of foul play, the publication adds. However, the Portuguese Attorney General's Office has launched an investigation to rule out any third-party involvement in Sadokha's death. According to the Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha, friends and relatives have demanded a full autopsy. The police have promised to release the official results of Sadokha's toxicology report within a month.
A few days ago in Barcelona, Rodyk – an activist, volunteer, and coordinator of Ukrainian youth and cultural initiatives – suddenly collapsed and died right on the basketball court during practice. According to his wife, the cause of death was cardiac arrest.
As of September 18, Spanish law enforcement (Mossos d'Esquadra) and Catalan emergency services had not issued any official statements regarding the investigation into the death of the Ukrainian man in Barcelona on September 16.
