Gennady Starunov, a physical education teacher who was named Moscow’s ‘Teacher of the Year’ in 2022, was killed while serving in the Russian military during its invasion of Ukraine, school officials confirmed on July 21. Starunov, who worked at a school in Zelenograd, had been a devoted educator known for his enthusiasm for sports and his efforts to foster student discipline. His death marks the loss of a respected figure in the education sector and adds to the growing list of civilian casualties in the ongoing conflict. The tragedy has sparked discussions about the role of educators in the war effort and the broader impact of the invasion on Russian society.