Fallen defender from Stebnyk Yurii Orsuliak, who served in the KORD combat unit of the Lviv Region police and died from combat wounds he had sustained, has been posthumously awarded the Order “For Courage” Third Class.
Yurii Orsuliak was born in Stebnyk and consciously dedicated himself to defending Ukraine. After suffering severe wounds and undergoing treatment, he could have remained in rehabilitation, but chose instead to return to his comrades on the front line.
The KORD fighter took part in fierce battles, including for the town of Toretsk in Donetsk region. On 12 January 2026, while carrying out a combat mission in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region, the armoured personnel carrier in which the police officer was travelling was attacked by a Russian FPV drone. As a result of the strike, Yurii sustained critical injuries.
Doctors fought for the defender’s life, including medics in Germany. Despite their efforts, on 30 January 2026 the warrior’s heart stopped.
Yurii Orsuliak is survived by his wife Khrystyna, their daughter, his mother and his brother. To his family he was a loving husband, father and son, and to his comrades-in-arms and fellow townspeople he was an example of devotion to Ukraine.
For his personal courage and loyalty to the Ukrainian people, Yurii Orsuliak has been posthumously honoured with the Order “For Courage” Third Class. The award was presented to the defender’s wife, Khrystyna, by the Head of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Lviv region, Oleksandr Shliakhovskyi.
The Drohobych City Council notes that Yurii Orsuliak is one of those Ukrainians who gave their lives for the freedom and independence of the state. The community has expressed its sincere condolences to his family, relatives and comrades-in-arms, sharing the pain of this irreparable loss and paying tribute to the memory of the fallen defender.