After the liberation of occupied Izyum, a mass grave site was discovered in the town. In September, more than 400 bodies were found there. The burials were carried out by a local burial service, which also kept a log of the deceased. The journal contained the writer's details. Investigators found a photo of the body number 319, taken before the burial, and Volodymyr Vakulenko's documents, as well as a tattoo on his arm, similar to the one the writer had. DNA forensic evidence confirmed the death.

Volodymyr Vakulenko is the author of more than a dozen books, including those for children, an active participant in the Revolution of Dignity and a volunteer. In 2020 he published an anthology of Belarusian poetry "Zhyve Belarus! For Our and Your Freedom!". He has been widely published in magazines, journals and almanacs.