Thomas D'Alba, an Italian who sacrificed his life alongside Ukrainian forces, was killed during a battle in Sumy, in northern Ukraine, around mid-June 2025. The news of his death was shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Ukrainian journalist Vladislav Maistrouk, who knew him and had met him recently. Although D'Alba was initially reported missing, it is believed he has died. His death sparked a series of reactions, including numerous criticisms and insults on social media, raising questions about his decision to join the conflict.
A man with a dual passion: the Folgore and music
Born in Legnano in 1985, Thomas D'Alba was a former paratrooper of the Folgore, an elite unit of the Italian Army. After serving in missions abroad, he decided to leave his military career to dedicate himself to music, a great passion of his. Graduated from a professional music school, D'Alba worked for over ten years as a drum teacher at the Niccolò Paganini Music School in Legnano. Despite his stable and appreciated career in teaching, the call of Ukraine led him to make a radical choice in 2024: to leave to fight alongside Ukrainian forces against the Russian invasion.
A teacher fighter
His former school director, Fabio Poretti, remembers him as "a teacher fighter", describing how Thomas was loved by his students and the school community. "He never explained to us what drove him to leave," Poretti stated, "but those who knew him know it was not an economic motivation. He was a just man, not for sale." During the months spent in Ukraine, D'Alba never lost contact with the school. When he could, he sent messages to reassure friends that he was well.
Moreover, during his days off from the front, Thomas went to Ukrainian hospitals to play for the hospitalized children, a gesture that testified to his altruistic spirit and humanitarian commitment. His death deeply shook all who knew him, yet on social media, a controversy erupted that raised debates about his role in the conflict.
The decision to go and fight
Despite his military past and love for music, D'Alba's choice to fight alongside Ukraine sparked criticism on social media, particularly from those who accused him of choosing a cause far from his daily life. Nevertheless, D'Alba never doubted the righteousness of his choice. In a message shared with his former colleagues of the Folgore, he wrote: "I have been on many missions abroad and sometimes wondered if I was on the right side. In Ukraine, I never had this doubt."
The death of Thomas D'Alba fits into a broader picture of Italians who have chosen to join the conflict in Ukraine. At the time of his death, D'Alba was the seventh Italian to have lost his life in the war.
The memory of friends and colleagues
Despite widespread criticism, the memory of D'Alba among those who knew him remains positive. Singer-songwriter Fabio De Vincente, who shared musical experiences with him in Ukraine, remembers him as a "true, ethical, pure, sincere" person. Together, they played for children in Ukrainian hospitals, a gesture that revealed his dual nature: soldier and man of peace.
In a world divided by opinions on the war, Thomas D'Alba represents an example for all, a man who put his life on the line for a cause he believed was just. His story will remain a symbol of the passion for justice and music that defined his life.
Thomas D'Alba, a man who chose not to stand by, was a soldier, a teacher, a man of music and heart. His death leaves us with a reflection on the nature of conflict and the personal choices that can mark the destiny of a life.
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