In Bolozhyniv, a memorial plaque was unveiled and blessed on the facade of the local lower secondary education institution (grades I–II) in honour of Junior Sergeant Mar’yan Ustiak, a serviceman of the 141st Separate Mechanised Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who was killed in the war.
Those who gathered for the ceremony to honour the soldier’s memory included his mother Nadiia, his comrades-in-arms, Deputy Mayor Volodymyr Zelenyukh, the head of the Bolozhyniv Starosta District Viktor Datskiv, villagers, as well as pupils and teachers of the school. The event began with the performance of the State Anthem of Ukraine and a minute’s silence for Mar’yan and all Ukrainian soldiers who gave their lives for the freedom and independence of the state.
The rite of blessing the memorial plaque was conducted by the parish priest of the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, Father Stepan Pylypchuk. After the unveiling, a commemorative gathering was held in the school building: words of gratitude and memories of Mar’yan Ustiak were shared, along with patriotic songs performed by pupils and the church choir. In their speeches, his comrades-in-arms, the school headmistress and the starosta all stressed the importance of preserving the memory of everyone who died for Ukraine, and thanked the soldier’s mother for raising a son who stood up to defend the Motherland.
Special mention was made of Mar’yan’s comrades-in-arms, who have continued to support the family and made the memorial plaque with their own hands. This initiative was described as an example of genuine comradeship in arms, respect and gratitude towards a person with whom they had together defended the country from Russian aggression.
Mar’yan Ustiak was born on 20 September 1988 in Bolozhyniv. He completed his schooling there and later obtained a qualification at the Automotive and Road Vocational College of the Lviv Polytechnic National University. He did his compulsory military service in the rocket and artillery troops.
In July 2023, Mar’yan was mobilised into the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He served in the 141st Separate Mechanised Brigade, held the rank of Junior Sergeant and served as a squad commander. On 22 February 2024, he was killed while carrying out a combat mission near the settlement of Robotyne in the Polohy district of Zaporizhzhia region.
For almost two years his relatives waited for confirmation of his fate. Only on 16 February 2026 did the results of DNA testing officially confirm the death of Mar’yan Ustiak. On 24 February 2026, the defender was buried in the village cemetery in his native Bolozhyniv. He was 35 years old at the time of his death.
For his courage and devotion to the military oath, Mar’yan Ustiak was posthumously awarded the honorary distinction “Combatant’s Cross” and the badge “Honour and Memory” pursuant to Order No. 475 of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine of 28 May 2026.
«The main thing in life is not to lose yourself and to do good, which returns a hundredfold»
According to his loved ones, this was the guiding principle Mar’yan Ustiak lived by, and his memory will henceforth be preserved both in the memorial plaque and in the hearts of his fellow villagers.