Ukrainian embassy confirms death in Nice attack; no word on missing student

OTTAWA – The Ukrainian embassy in Ottawa says one of its citizens died in a deadly truck attack in France last week but won’t confirm whether the victim is a missing student studying in Canada.

Mykhaylo (Misha) Bazelevskyy, who was 22, has permanent resident status in Canada, but was travelling on a Ukrainian passport. Bazelevskyy is a fourth-year bachelor of commerce student at MacEwan University in Edmonton who was in Nice participating in a summer program.

Spokesperson Kostiantyn Kostenko says the embassy is still waiting for an official list of victims from French authorities.

“(When) the French authorities present an official list of victims, we’ll know if this person is recognized dead or not,” he said.

There are still dozens of people who haven’t regained consciousness from the attack, he added. The embassy will not confirm anything as long as there is the smallest chance that Bazelevskyy is alive, he said.

“We (are) just protecting the family,” Kostenko said.

Bazelevskyy was one of five students and one faculty member in Nice participating in a summer program at the European Innovation Academy. University officials say they were heading to the Promenade des Anglais to enjoy the fireworks, but inclement weather convinced three of them to turn back.

Bazelevskyy and another student were on the promenade when a truck full of weapons plowed into the crowd celebrating Bastille Day last Thursday.

More than 80 people were killed in the attack. The student who was with Bazelevskyy at the time told university provost John Corlett “he was fortunate that he survived.”

Students said Bazelevskyy is well-known on campus and is “the nicest guy.” He has run for student council, is a member of the varsity golf team and has volunteered for college athletics programs.

Bazelevskyy’s parents are in Ukraine. He also has a brother, sister-in-law and extended family in Edmonton.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version misspelled Bazelevskyy’s name in paragraph 2.