On Tuesday, 10 March, Lviv honours the memory of soldier Viktor Kozakov, who laid down his life defending Ukraine against Russian occupiers. The city authorities are calling on residents and visitors to attend the farewell ceremony and to refrain from any entertainment events or celebrations during this time.
The funeral service will begin at 11:00 at the Garrison Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. At approximately 11:30, a city-wide farewell ceremony will take place on Rynok Square. The defender will be laid to rest at Lychakiv Cemetery in the field of honour, plot No. 87 (Pasichna Street).
Viktor Kozakov was born on 15 March 1994 in the village of Shevchenko, Cherkasy Oblast. He attended Secondary School No. 1 in the town of Smila and qualified as an electric welder at the Smila Centre for Vocational Training and Retraining. He worked as an arborist and ran his own business.
Those close to him remember Viktor as a devoted husband and loving father — a kind, responsible, and hardworking man, brave and resolute, always ready to lend a hand. He had a passion for enduro, quad bikes, and off-roading, and enjoyed fishing, airsoft, and spending time with friends.
When the full-scale invasion began, he took up arms to defend his homeland. He served on the Northern Slobozhanshchyna front as part of the 33rd Separate Mechanised Brigade, and on the Southern Slobozhanshchyna front as part of the 116th Separate Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. He was awarded the Order of Courage, 3rd class. Viktor Kozakov passed away on 1 March 2026, leaving behind his wife, two daughters, his mother, a brother, sisters, and many friends.