In July, communities in Lviv region and other parts of Ukraine remember the servicemen who gave their lives for Ukraine and who would have been celebrating their birthdays this month, as well as those who were killed in July in battles against the Russian occupiers.
Levko Ivan, a private in the 24th Separate Mechanised Brigade named after King Danylo, was a resident of the village of Porichchia. He was killed on 1 October 2022 in the area of the village of Bilohirka in Kherson region while carrying out a combat mission to defend Ukraine. For more than a year the serviceman was considered missing in action, but after an identification procedure his death was confirmed. On 2 July Ivan would have turned 27.
Mostovyi Pavlo, a private in the 80th Separate Air Assault Brigade of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, was born in the village of Yasenyv in Lviv region and lived in the village of Malchytsi. He was killed on 24 April 2023 in fierce fighting with the occupiers in Donetsk region. On 12 July Pavlo would have turned 36.
Dumanskyi Yurii, a lieutenant and platoon commander in the 24th Separate Mechanised Brigade, was killed on 14 August 2014 during an artillery strike in the area of the settlement of Novosvitlivka in Krasnodon district of Luhansk region. On 17 July Yurii would have turned 35.
Tkachyk Petro (callsign “Pekha”), a sergeant in the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade, was born in Ivano-Frankove. At the start of the full-scale invasion he took up arms to defend Ukraine. He was killed on 5 October 2024 in Donetsk region and buried in Sokilnyky. On 12 July he would have turned 30.
Pokryshchuk Vladyslav, a senior sergeant from Ivano-Frankove, joined the 80th Separate Air Assault Brigade on the first day of the full-scale invasion. He first fought in Mykolaiv region, later in eastern Ukraine, and subsequently continued his service in the Special Operations Forces. He was killed on 26 December 2023 as a result of a mortar attack while defending Kharkiv region. On 15 July Vlad would have turned 29.
Dobrych Taras, a serviceman of the 24th Separate Mechanised Brigade named after King Danylo, callsign “Topolia”, was a resident of the village of Vorotsiv. He was killed on 31 May 2022 in a heavy battle near the village of Vrubivka in Luhansk region. On 18 July Taras would have turned 52.
Zabava Ihor, a private in the 63rd Separate Mechanised Brigade, lived in the village of Palanky. On 19 August 2022 he died from severe wounds sustained during enemy artillery and mortar shelling in the village of Blahodatne in Mykolaiv region. On 26 July Ihor would have turned 53.
Fialka Volodymyr, a senior sergeant in the 103rd Brigade of the Territorial Defence Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, was a well-known runner and a member of the ShypShyna Run Club, and lived in the village of Kozhychi. He was killed on 23 March 2023 in Kharkiv region during direct tank fire while defending Ukraine. On 31 July Volodymyr would have turned 36.
In July they also remember the soldiers who were killed specifically this month, and communities mark the anniversaries of their deaths.
Kostelnyi Andrii (callsign “Grizzly”), a senior sergeant in the 1st Special Purpose Company of military unit A4002, was a resident of Ivano-Frankove. From as early as 2015 he had taken an active civic stance and shown his patriotism, and later joined the Anti-Terrorist Operation. He was killed on 6 July 2024 while carrying out a combat mission. This month marks the second anniversary of his death.
Petsold Andrii, a serviceman of military unit A1376 from the village of Velykopole, served as a rifle section commander. In July 2024, while carrying out a combat mission near the settlement of Urozhayne in Volnovakha district of Donetsk region, he went missing in action. After an identification procedure carried out on 27 February 2025, his death was confirmed. July marks the second anniversary of his last battle.
Borukh Vasyl, a serviceman, first served in the 10th Separate Rifle Battalion of the Territorial Defence, and later in the 116th Separate Mechanised Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He was born in the village of Drohomyshl in Lviv region and lived in Lviv. For almost 30 years he taught the history of Ukraine at Domazhyr Secondary School I–III degrees, bringing up pupils in the spirit of love for their homeland. In the first days of the full-scale war he voluntarily joined the ranks of the defenders. He was killed on 12 July 2023 in the town of Orikhiv in Zaporizhzhia region while carrying out a combat mission. This month marks the third anniversary of his death.
Bereshchak Taras, a senior rifleman-operator in a mechanised battalion of military unit A70141, was a resident of the village of Vorotsiv. At the start of the full-scale war he returned from abroad and voluntarily took up arms to defend Ukraine’s territorial integrity and independence. He fought his last battle on 21 July 2023 in Luhansk region. July marks the third anniversary of his death.
Kryhul Serhii, a junior sergeant and rifleman in military unit A4125, lived in the settlement of Ivano-Frankove. On 2 July 2024 he went missing in action in the area of the settlement of Vodiane in Pokrovsk district of Donetsk region. For more than a year and a half his family waited for news and searched for him. After DNA testing, his death was confirmed. This month marks the second anniversary of his death.
The names of these soldiers are a reminder of the high price of Ukraine’s freedom and independence. Their courage and self-sacrifice remain an example for their contemporaries and for generations to come.