An elite sniper and former model has been killed in a Russian airstrike in Ukraine.

Thalita do Valle, 39, died while fighting in the city of Kharkiv on June 30.

She had joined the war effort alongside former Brazilian Army soldier Douglas Burigo.

Douglas, 40, also died in last week’s airstrike, reportedly after he went into a bunker to try find Thalita.

The pair had travelled from Brazil to support Ukrainian forces.

Thalita had previous experience in warzones, and had fought against the Islamic State in Iraq.

At this time, she received special sniper training as she trained alongside the Peshmergas, the armed military forces of the independent Kurdistan region of Iraq.

She reportedly used these skills in Ukraine, where she was responsible for providing cover from advancing Russian froces.

Thalita had documented some of her experiences on a YouTube channel and she had been working with a writer ahead of a potential book about her diverse life.

She was also a law student who participated in animal rescues with NGOs, and had worked both as a model and an actress when she was younger.

Thalita’s family have paid tribute to their ‘hero’ who was known for ‘saving lives and participating in humanitarian missions.’