In the Sokal area, the death of defender Yaroslav Pyrih (1983–2024), a native of the town of Sokal in Lviv region, has been confirmed. He was killed while carrying out a combat mission near the village of Bohoyavlenka in Volnovakha district of Donetsk region, not far from Vuhledar.
Yaroslav Pyrih was born on 8 November 1983 in Sokal into the family of a priest and was the youngest, the fourth child. He studied at the Sokal Gymnasium named after Oleh Romaniv, and from 2001 he pursued his education at the Faculty of International Relations of the Rivne Institute of Slavic Studies. He was interested in history and Ukrainian folklore, sang in the church choir, loved travelling and was particularly passionate about the mountains.
In July 2020, Yaroslav married; the couple had a son. In May 2024, he joined the ranks of Ukraine’s defenders as part of the 77th Separate Air Assault Dnipro Brigade of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
From 12 September 2024, the serviceman carried out combat missions in the area of the village of Bohoyavlenka in Donetsk region. On 30 October 2024, during the shelling of the unit’s positions, he was killed: after the first mine explosion he sustained a mild concussion but continued to carry out his mission, and the second explosion proved fatal. Due to intense crossfire, his comrades-in-arms were unable to provide assistance and evacuate the bodies of the fallen, so from 30 October 2024 Yaroslav was considered missing in action.
In September 2025, the soldier’s body was returned during an exchange, and on 28 September 2026 his identity was officially confirmed. Relatives and friends remember Yaroslav as a sincere, open, cheerful person with a good sense of humour, who was always ready to help others and greatly valued the time he spent with his little son.
In the last days before his death, he was particularly worried about the fate of his son Mykolka, who was soon to turn three.
“Will he remember me?”
The farewell ceremony for the fallen defender will take place in the village of Bubniv in Volodymyr district of Volyn region on Saturday, 10 October, at 11:00.
Blessed memory of Yaroslav Pyrih. Eternal honour to the fallen warrior.