After more than three years of waiting, the body of the fallen defender Vasyl Habchak has been brought back to his native village of Stanylia, so that the soldier may find eternal rest in his parents’ land.
Vasyl Vasylovych Habchak (07.01.1973 – 04.09.2023) was killed in action on 4 September 2023 near the village of Robotyne in Zaporizhzhia region. His name, together with the names of thousands of other fallen defenders, has been inscribed in gold letters in the Book of Remembrance of Ukraine.
The hearse carrying the soldier’s body was met at the Heroes’ Crossroads. There a joint prayer service was held, led by three priests of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. After this, the funeral cortege proceeded to Truskavets, where a farewell rite and a short prayer were also held at the Avenue of Glory.
The funeral procession then continued on to Stanylia. The farewell to the fallen soldier in the village will last two days: a parastas is scheduled for 18:30, and the funeral for 12:00 the following day.
Vasyl Habchak was born in Stanylia and studied at Truskavets Secondary School No. 2, later receiving a technical education. He worked as a driver at the Truskavets Employment Centre, and later as a taxi driver. In the memories of his loved ones, he appears as someone who was always ready to help, support and encourage those in need.
Family held a special place in Vasyl’s life. His wife Iryna and daughter Nataliia were his pillar and inspiration. His relatives note that he would have dreamt of holding and doting on a grandson, but the war robbed him of this possibility.
With the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Vasyl voluntarily joined the ranks of the National Guard of Ukraine. From 17 March 2022 he served in the 2nd Company of the 2nd Battalion of the 14th Brigade “Chervona Kalyna”. A year and a half at the front, according to his comrades-in-arms, only tempered his character.
In the unit, Vasyl was known as “Dyadya Vasya” (Uncle Vasya). His comrades remember him as someone who knew how to offer a word of support, to console with a joke, to help a person out of despair or depression and to show the meaning of life by his own example.
After the battle near Robotyne, his family were initially informed that the soldier was missing in action. For the family, this marked the beginning of a long period of searching, hoping and legal proceedings, as a result of which Vasyl Habchak was officially declared dead. The family’s greatest wish was to be able to bury their husband, father, brother and brother-in-law, to know the place of his rest and to lift the burden of uncertainty.
The soldier-defender Vasyl Habchak is remembered as a man who, without hesitation, rose to defend his loved ones and his Homeland. His life path is described as an example for future generations – of how to live, to love and to fight for higher values.
The clergy and the community are praying for the repose of the soul of the fallen soldier and asking God to comfort his family. Eternal memory to Vasyl Habchak and to all the defenders who gave their lives for a free Ukraine.