In the village of Nakonechne Pershe, a memorial plaque was unveiled and consecrated in honour of Taras Stelmakh, a fallen defender of Ukraine. The commemorative sign was installed on the façade of the school where he studied.
Taras Stelmakh was born on 28 January 1985 and grew up in Nakonechne Pershe. After finishing school, he entered a construction college. He loved football and played for the local team, and was interested in antiques. He especially cherished quiet evenings in the garden by his family home together with his dog named Top. He worked abroad and provided for his family. Relatives and fellow villagers remember him as a kind, sincere, hard-working and sociable person.
In 2024, Taras joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He served in the 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade “Edelweiss”, in an unmanned aerial vehicle company. He carried out combat missions in the areas of Bakhmut and Sloviansk. After a short leave at home, he returned to the front. On 20 August 2025, he was killed defending Ukraine.
Relatives and friends of Taras, villagers, clergy, pupils and teachers of the school, and representatives of the Yavoriv City Council gathered for the unveiling of the memorial plaque. His comrades-in-arms, men and women, with whom he had served and fought, also came to Nakonechne Pershe. They shared memories of their service together and everyday life at the front, emphasising that the memory of Taras lives on among the military as well.
Those present honoured the fallen warrior with a joint prayer, a minute of silence and the laying of flowers on his grave. From now on, the memorial plaque on the school wall will serve as a daily reminder of the young man from Nakonechne Pershe who loved football, his home and his family, and who, in the country’s darkest hour, rose to defend it.
The material was prepared on the basis of information from the Nakonechne General Secondary Education Institution of Levels I–III, the Department of Culture, Tourism, Youth and Sports of the Yavoriv City Council, and the Nakonechne Starosta District.