American educator Jimmy Hill killed in Russian attacks on Ukraine

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American educator Jimmy Hill has been killed in the Russian attacks on Chernihiv, Ukraine. Photo Credit: Daily Beast

Jim Hill, an American educator, has been killed in the Russian attacks on Chernihiv, Ukraine, a city about two hours north of Kyiv. Jimmy was among dozens of civilians killed by an onslaught of Russian artillery fire on Thurs., March 17. He was 68 years old.

Jimmy was in the country to teach, but stayed even after the invasion, despite deteriorating conditions and increasing danger. He wanted to be by the side of his long-time partner, Iryna Teslenko. She had been hospitalized to receive treatment for a chronic condition, and she was too ill to flee the invasion.

Despite the growing risk beyond the hospital walls, Jimmy ventured out in search of food. He was waiting in a bread line with several others when they were targeted by Russian gunfire, said his sister Cheryl Hill Gordon in a Facebook post. After the attack was over, the beloved teacher was found dead with his US passport on his body, reported the Wall Street Journal.

Jimmy, a native of Minnesota, possessed a degree in social work. For the past 25 years, he has taught various universities throughout Europe, including a stint as an Associate Professor in the Foreign Language and Philology Departments at the University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice. He also worked as a guest lecturer at MCI Management Center Innsbruck, and as a lecturer at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.
Jimmy also taught at the Prague Summer Schools. “This is with a great regret that we heard about the tragic death of professor Jimmy Hill,” posted the Prague Summer Schools on Facebook. “Jimmy was a passionate teacher in our Summer School on Crime, Law and Psychology program since 2014 and was loved by the students from all over the world. We will miss Jimmy very much.” The school offers academic programs covering the social sciences, including European politics, economics, psychology education, and current event.