In the village of Ternovytsia, a farewell will be held for Ukraine’s defender Taras Melnyk, who, after a lengthy search, was identified by DNA analysis and officially declared dead.
Taras Ivanovych Melnyk was born on 8 March 1985 in Ternovytsia. He studied at the local school and then entered the Novoyavorivsk Higher Vocational School. Later he completed his compulsory military service and, after it ended, worked abroad in Poland and the United Kingdom.
In April 2022, Taras Melnyk was mobilised into the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He served as an anti-tank missile system operator and carried out combat missions defending Ukraine. On 14 May 2024, while on a combat mission in the Pokrovsk sector, the soldier went missing in action.
In October 2026, the competent authorities, on the basis of DNA analysis, confirmed the death of Taras Melnyk. He is mourned by his mother Liubov, his brother Yurii and a large extended family.
A prayer vigil for the fallen soldier will take place on 30 October at 11:30 in the village of Ternovytsia. The funeral service will begin at 12:30 in the Church of the Holy Trinity (UGCC), after which the soldier will be buried in the local cemetery.