The family of Jonas da Silva Santos, 24, says they received the news last Monday (12) that the man from Acre died after being shot during a mission in the war in Ukraine. The information was passed on by a Brazilian colleague who was with him in the fight, but relatives say they have not yet officially received confirmation of the death.
Born in Rodrigues Alves, in the interior of Acre, he was a security guard before moving to Porto Velho (RO), where he started working with his brother-in-law. He went to Ukraine in May this year.
According to one of his nieces, who asked not to be identified, the interest in going to Ukraine already existed before he left Brazil. His family tried to convince him to give up for fear of the risks he would face in the conflict.
"Since he was still in Brazil, my uncle had already shown a strong desire to go to Ukraine. He talked a lot about it and always said that he wanted to go to help in the war, because it was something he really wanted to do. It wasn't something that came up suddenly, it was a desire that he had had for a long time", he said.
g1 contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to find out if the Brazilian government was aware of the case and if it could provide assistance to the family. In a note, Itamaraty informed that the Brazilian Embassy in Kiev has no record of the situation and is available to provide consular assistance when called.
The ministry also clarified that it does not cover the displacement of Brazilians for the purpose of participating in armed conflicts, inside or outside the national territory.
According to the niece, relatives talked to Jonas about the dangers of the trip and that even his colleagues who were already in Ukraine advised him not to go. Even so, he remained determined.
As he didn't have a passport, his niece helped him get the document and he left Porto Velho by bus bound for São Paulo, from where he continued his journey to the country. When he got there, Jonas said he had signed a three-year contract.
"We, the family, were always worried and talked to him about the dangers. We tried to make him understand the risks he would take, because we knew it was not something simple and that he might not come back", he reported.
Communication with Jonas took place mainly on weekends. According to his niece, he used to send messages to his relatives and let them know how he was doing. The last conversation with him took place on October 4th. Three days later, on October 7, the niece sent a message but received no response.
News of the death only arrived on Monday. According to the family member, he was shot during a mission at the border and did not return.
"He always sent messages, letting me know how he was doing. He even created a group to give news. The last conversation was on the 4th of October and, when it was on the 7th, I sent a message and he never responded. Every weekend he sent a message, because during the week he couldn't talk because he was in training", he said.
The niece stated that the family did not receive photos, videos or documents to prove what happened. When he questioned his colleagues about the images, he heard that they could only be sent to a lawyer.
According to the niece, the family does not have the financial means to cover the costs of a possible transfer.
"So far, this is the information that has reached us. As a family, we also have many doubts and are trying to understand what really happened," he said.
In addition to dealing with the lack of information about his death, relatives have received criticism about Jonas' decision to go to war. The niece said she considers it unfair for people to judge his choice without knowing his story and the family's suffering.
"He was my uncle, he was part of our family and he was loved by us. Regardless of any opinion about the choice he made, it does not change the bond we had with him nor the pain we are feeling," he said.
For her, the time is to seek answers about what happened and understand how the family can deal with the situation.
"I'm not telling this to defend the war, nor to say that his decision was right or wrong. I'm telling it because he had a story, he had his own desires and he made a choice that, for him, had meaning. We, as a family, were afraid, we tried to advise him and we wanted him to stay, but we couldn't decide his life for him", he added.
Read the full note from Itamaraty:
"It is clarified, firstly, that Itamaraty does not pay for the displacement of Brazilian citizens for the aforementioned purpose, neither inside nor outside the national territory. Regarding any contract signed, it is therefore suggested that contact be made with the authorities of the country in whose army the Brazilian would have enlisted.
The Brazilian Embassy in Kiev has no record of the case and is available to provide appropriate consular assistance, when called.
The consular assistance provided by the Brazilian state is carried out through contact with the interested citizen or, depending on the case, with his or her family. Brazil's consular activities are guided by international and national legislation. To find out about the duties of Brazilian consular offices, it is recommended that you consult the Itamaraty Consular Portal section.
It is reported that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been warning Brazilians about the risks arising from the security situation in Ukraine since May 2025, when a consular alert was published discouraging visits by Brazilians to regions close to the combat fronts.
In July of the same year, a new consular alert was published, which was updated in September 2026, recommending the refusal of job offers and participation in foreign armies.”
