A 41-year-old Brazilian father who reportedly served as a soldier in Ukraine's Donbas region was killed in a drone strike on August 24, his family says. Tiago Rodrigues Marques, who lived in Rio Grande do Sul and was originally from Gravataí, died on his 41st birthday, according to Brazilian media reports.
Death confirmed by fellow combatants
His wife, Marili Rodrigues, 40, was informed of his death on Wednesday by Brazilian combatants who had been fighting alongside him, Brazilian outlet Gaúcha-Zero Hora said. Tiago had been in Ukraine since March, according to his wife.
His wife noted that it was his second time fighting in Ukraine, saying he had previously spent 11 months there between 2024 and 2025, when he served with Ukraine's International Legion.
Fighting for daughter's treatment
Marili said Tiago returned to Ukraine in the hope of earning money for the treatment of their five-year-old daughter, who has autism spectrum disorder. The couple had been struggling to afford her treatment, and Tiago believed that being paid to fight in Ukraine could improve their financial situation.
Marili told Brazilian media: "Tiago went there because he was looking for better conditions for his daughter’s treatment. They were offering a salary of BRL 50,000 [£7,130], but when he got there, he found out it was UAH 50,000 [£826]."
"There was also a separate bonus of UAH 70,000 [£1,157] for each mission. He was supposed to receive the money in his account on Monday, but by then he was already dead."
Family seeks to repatriate body
Marili said Tiago got on the flight and went to Ukraine without telling his family. "He kept the trip secret even from his family because he knew we wouldn’t have accepted him going," she said.
She recalled her husband's last message to her was sent at around 4.30am (time in Brazil) and that he told her they were under attack. He never contacted her again.
Brazilian reports said there is no official confirmation of Tiago's death from the Brazilian government. His body has also not been recovered.
Marili said Tiago's money has been deposited into a Ukrainian bank account that she cannot access. She added: "But that’s not what we’re worried about at the moment. We’re worried about how we’re going to get his body back." Tiago also leaves behind two stepdaughters.
