On Wednesday, 7 October, a farewell ceremony will be held in Lviv for servicemen Ihor Yanishevskyi and Taras Smuk, who were killed defending Ukraine from the Russian occupiers. The city authorities have called on Lviv residents and visitors to join the ceremonies and to refrain at this time from entertainment events and celebrations.
The farewell to Ihor Yanishevskyi will begin at 09:30 at the Church of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist of the UGCC in Vynnyky. At the same time, at 09:30, the farewell to Taras Smuk will begin at the Church of the Ascension of Our Lord of the UGCC at 81 Shyroka Street in Lviv.
The funeral rite for both soldiers will be conducted at 11:00 in the Garrison Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. Afterwards, at approximately 11:30, a citywide farewell ceremony is planned on Rynok Square. The defenders will be laid to rest at Lychakiv Cemetery, in the Field of Honour No. 87 on Pasichna Street.
Ihor Yanishevskyi (22.12.1982 — 26.04.2025) was born in the town of Vynnyky in Lviv region. He studied at secondary school No. 47 in Lviv and later qualified as a car mechanic at the separate structural subdivision “Automotive and Road Vocational College of the Lviv Polytechnic National University”. He completed compulsory military service.
In peacetime he worked as a driver for senior management at AltkomKyivBud LLC, and later as a machine operator at the Lviv Tobacco Factory OJSC. According to his family, he was cheerful, kind and responsible, loved cars and travelling, and had many plans for the future.
In 2024, Ihor took up arms to defend Ukraine from the full-scale invasion, fighting in the Donetsk sector with the 35th Separate Marine Brigade named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Ostrohradskyi of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He is survived by two sons, his parents, sister, brother-in-law, nieces, goddaughter, godparents, friends and other relatives.
Taras Smuk (01.04.1969 — 30.09.2026) was a native of Lviv. He studied at Liceum No. 51 named after Ivan Franko of the Lviv City Council, and later received a technical education at Lviv Secondary Vocational School No. 21 (now the municipal institution of the Lviv Regional Council “Lviv Higher Vocational School of Computer Technologies and Construction”). He also completed compulsory military service.
He worked professionally in computer equipment maintenance and entrepreneurial activity. He was a process engineer at the private enterprise “Lakor”, and later a repair and maintenance engineer for dental equipment at Zablotskyy Clinic LLC.
His loved ones remember Taras as a kind, empathetic and concerned person who knew how to support others and treated children with particular warmth. He had an active civic stance, took part in the Orange Revolution and the Revolution of Dignity, and was interested in philosophy and cutting-edge technologies.
In 2025, Taras Smuk joined the ranks of Ukraine’s defenders. He served in the Donetsk sector with the 160th Separate Mechanised Brigade of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He was awarded the medal “War Veteran”. He is survived by his mother, two brothers, two sisters and other relatives.