On Tuesday, 24 December, Lviv will say goodbye to soldiers Ivan Andreev, Yuriy Popyk, Vitaliy Kryshtal and Yaroslav Semchyshyn, who defended Ukraine from Russian occupiers.
The mayor’s office calls on residents and visitors to join the city’s farewell ceremony and refrain from entertainment and celebrations during this time.
The funeral service will begin at 11:00 a.m. in the Garrison Church of Ss. Peter and Paul. Afterwards, at approximately 11:30 a.m., a citywide farewell ceremony will take place on Rynok Square.
The fallen soldiers will be buried at Lychakiv Cemetery.
Biographical information about the defenders
Vitalii Kryshtal (Kryshtal) (07.08.1979-16.11.2024) was born in the village of Brankovanove, Odesa region.
He received vocational training as a mechanic.
With the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, he defended his homeland from Russian invaders. He performed combat missions to defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of the state as part of the 80th separate Galician Air Assault Brigade of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In a battle with the Russian occupier on 16 November 2024, he sustained a life-threatening injury.
Vitalii Kryshtal is survived by his friends and comrades-in-arms.
Yurii Popyk (10.12.1990-11.12.2024) Born in the village of Sukhovolya, Lviv region.
He studied at the Sukhovolya Lyceum. In 2006, he entered the Lviv State University of Life Safety, specialising in Fire Safety. He served in the military as part of the State Special Transport Service.
Lieutenant of the Civil Protection Service. After graduation, he worked for a period of time in one of the fire stations in Lviv, and later in the village of Pidkamin, Lviv region. He then took up a position as a children’s coach at the Olimpiya Children’s and Youth Sports School in Lviv and gained great respect and love among his students.
According to his family, he was extremely principled, direct and honest. Throughout his life, he was actively involved in martial arts: sambo, judo, and hand-to-hand combat. He was a master of sports of Ukraine in sambo wrestling, a participant and winner of a number of Ukrainian and international competitions.
With the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, he voluntarily joined the 1st separate brigade named after Prince Lev of the State Special Transport Service to defend his homeland from the invaders. He served in the Donetsk region.
Yurii Popyk is survived by his mother and brother.
Ivan Andriyiv (11.01.1973-16.12.2024) Born in the village of Yasenivtsi, Lviv region.
He studied at the former secondary school №64 of I-III levels in Lviv (today – Lyceum “Hrono” of Lviv City Council). Later he received vocational education in Lviv. After graduation, he served in the military.
At first, he worked at Concern-Electron, a private joint-stock company, and later at a ceramic manufacturing company. In his spare time, he was fond of fishing, mushroom picking, and had a wide circle of friends. According to his family, he was a wonderful husband and father.
From the first months of Russia’s full-scale invasion, he voluntarily defended his homeland from the invaders. He fought against the invaders in Kharkiv and Donetsk regions in the ranks of the 80th separate airborne assault brigade of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Ivan Andriyiv is survived by his mother, wife, two sons, daughter, mother-in-law and sisters.
Yaroslav Semchyshyn (02.12.1980-17.12.2024) was born in the village of Verbiv, Ternopil region.
He studied at the Verbiv secondary school of I-II levels, then entered the Berezhany Lyceum №2 of the Berezhany City Council, Ternopil region. He did his military service in a military unit in Lviv. In 2004, he moved to Lviv.
He was engaged in private entrepreneurship in the field of shoe manufacturing and repair. He was a master of his craft, distinguished by his attention to detail and efficiency. In his spare time, he travelled extensively around Ukraine.
With the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, he joined the 36th Separate Marine Brigade named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Bilynskyi of the Ukrainian Navy to defend the state from the Russian invaders. He performed missions in Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Poltava, Sumy and Kursk regions.
Yaroslav Semchyshyn is survived by his wife, daughter, mother and brother.