Machinery Tractors Ukrainian farmer attacked by Russian pilot while cultivating dies from his injuries In Eastern Ukraine, a Russian pilot attacked an operator driving a John Deere 8335 tractor as he cultivated a field. By Iurii Mykhaylov Iurii Mykhaylov Iurii has been married for 44 years to his wife Liuidmyla, who has a Masters Degree in mathematics. Married for 44 years. The couple has a daughter, Olena Staveley-O'Carroll, who received a full scholarship to Lakeland University (WI), where obtained BA degrees in mathematics, chemistry, and economics. She later received her PhD in economics from Georgetown University. She is currently the Associate Professor of Economics at the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts. Iurri and his wife have two grandchildren. Successful Farming's Editorial Guidelines Published on May 22, 2022 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Ukraine National Police On May 11 in Bohoduhiv Rayon of the Kharkiv region (East Ukraine), a Russian pilot attacked a John Deere 8335 tractor and its operator as he was cultivating a field. The tractor was the property of the Astarta-Kyiv agricultural company. The operator, who works for Astarta-Kyiv, survived but was badly injured. Sadly, he succumbed to his injuries on May 20. READ MORE: John Deere dealership, grain stocks in Ukraine plundered by Russian troops Astarta Holding is a Ukrainian agricultural and industrial holding company. Its main producing assets are located in the Poltava, Vinnytsia, Ternopil, Khmelnytskyi, Kharkiv, Cherkasy, Chernihiv, and Zhytomyr regions. The company's main activities include grain and oilseeds production, sugar production from sugar beets and raw cane sugar processing, soybean crushing, milk production, as well as grain and oilseeds storage and handling services. The company is one of the top five Ukrainian agricultural businesses by land in operation and one of the biggest Ukrainian sugar producers. Astarta processes 22% of the country's soybean crops. Also, Astarta is the biggest industrial milk producer in Ukraine. Ukraine National Police Astarta's Agricultural Activities In 2021, Astarta harvested 1.6 million tons of sugar beets, produced 340,000 tons of white sugar, and harvested 974,000 tons of grains and oilseeds. READ MORE: Ukraine will need several years to restore farm output, minister says That same year, the company produced 508,000 tons of corn (59,000 hectares), 268,000 tons of wheat (47,000 ha), 76,000 tons of sunflower seeds (28,000 ha), 94,000 tons of soybeans (31,000 ha), 23,000 tons of rapeseeds (7,000 ha), and 1.584 million tons of sugar beets (33,000 ha). Astarta also sold 290,000 tons of sugar, 861,000 tons of grains and oilseeds, 161,000 tons of soybean products, and 94,000 tons of milk resulting in 491 million euros in total sales last year. About the Author: Iurii Mykhailov is an agricultural journalist in Ukraine. He is a contributor to Successful Farming. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit