In October, in Yavoriv district and across Lviv region, people remember the soldiers who gave their lives defending Ukraine and who would have been celebrating their birthdays or anniversaries of important events this month. Relatives, comrades-in-arms and local communities honour their memory at their graves and in prayer.
Senior rifleman Oleksii Dzyziuk (13.10.1975 – 22.03.2022) served in the 24th Separate Mechanised Brigade named after King Danylo and took part in the Anti-Terrorist Operation/Joint Forces Operation in Donbas. He lived in the village of Vereshchytsia. He was killed in action fighting Russian occupiers near Popasna in Luhansk region. In October he would have turned 51. He is buried in Vereshchytsia.
Volodymyr Romanchuk (21.10.1994 – 08.05.2022), a soldier of the 80th Separate Air Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, was a resident of Lviv. He was killed on 8 May 2022 during fighting near Bilohorivka in Luhansk region. In October he would have turned 32. He is buried in the village of Dubrovitsa.
Senior soldier of the 24th Separate Mechanised Brigade named after King Danylo Ruslan Shtokalo (25.10.1987 – 26.03.2022), a participant in the Anti-Terrorist Operation, lived in the village of Kozhychi. He died while carrying out a combat mission near Popasna in Luhansk region. For a long time, until 2024, he was listed as missing in action. In October he would have turned 39. He rests in the Field of Mars in Lviv.
Vitalii Yarotskyi (02.10.1986 – 25.10.2023) lived in the settlement of Ivano-Frankove and served in the 33rd Separate Mechanised Brigade. During his service he received numerous awards. He was killed on 25 October 2023 during a combat mission near the village of Robotyne in the Polohy district of Zaporizhzhia region. For around three years he was considered missing in action. On 2 October he would have turned 40, and this same month marks the third anniversary of his death. He is buried in Ivano-Frankove.
Volodymyr Zharko (16.10.1983 – 12.11.2025) served in military unit A3719 and lived in the village of Malchytsi. From the very start of the full-scale invasion, he joined the defence of Ukraine and carried out his service conscientiously. He died at home as a result of illness. He is buried in Malchytsi. In October he would have turned 43.
This month, they also remember the soldiers who were killed or officially declared dead in October itself. Soldier of the 24th Separate Mechanised Brigade Ivan Levko (03.07.1999 – 01.10.2022) was originally from the village of Porichchia. His last combat mission was in Bilohirka in Kherson region, where on 1 October 2022 he went missing in action. After more than a year of searching, his body was found, and on 8 January 2024 the warrior returned home on his shield. October marks the fourth anniversary of his death. He is buried in his native Porichchia.
Senior soldier Yaroslav Sabadash (‘Yarchyk’) (07.06.1980 – 10.10.2022), a driver in the reconnaissance platoon of the 10th Separate Rifle Battalion (military unit A7094), lived in the village of Kozhychi. He was killed on 10 October 2022 in Sumy region. October marks the fourth anniversary of his death. He is buried in Kozhychi.
Hryhorii Lapchak (24.02.1970 – 12.10.2023), a junior sergeant of the 103rd Separate Territorial Defence Brigade, was born in the village of Seredkevychy and lived in the village of Birky. He was killed on 12 October 2023 in the Kupiansk district of Kharkiv region. October marks the third anniversary of his death. He is buried in Birky.
Senior police sergeant Viktor Oleksyn (27.05.1988 – 17.10.2024), originally from the settlement of Ivano-Frankove, lived with his family in the village of Pidhiria in Ivano-Frankivsk region. He served in the special unit ‘KORD’ of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Lviv region. He was killed on 17 October 2024 during a combat mission in the town of Toretsk in Donetsk region. October marks the second anniversary of his death. He is buried in Pidhiria.
Soldier of the 33rd Separate Mechanised Brigade (military unit A4447), anti-tank guided missile operator Yaroslav Krylyshyn (04.04.1985 – 26.10.2023) was born and lived in the village of Kozhychi. He was killed on 26 October 2023 on the Zaporizhzhia axis. October marks the third anniversary of his death. He is buried in his native village.
His comrade-in-arms, a soldier and anti-tank guided missile operator in that same 33rd Separate Mechanised Brigade, Taras Fialka (04.04.1989 – 26.10.2023), was originally from Kozhychi and lived in Bibryka. He was killed during a combat mission near the village of Robotyne in Zaporizhzhia region. Shortly before his death he destroyed a Russian T-90 tank. In October, the third anniversary of his death is remembered. He is buried in Bibryka.
Oleh Kevan (22.06.1982 – 29.10.2022), a soldier and rifleman-assistant grenade launcher operator of the 68th Separate Jaeger Brigade named after Oleksa Dovbush, was born in Ivano-Frankove. He last made contact on 29 October 2022 near the settlement of Pavlivka in Donetsk region. His body remained in the temporarily occupied territory, so his relatives were unable to bury him with due honours. October marks the fourth anniversary of his death.
Sergeant Petro Tkachyk (‘Pekha’) (12.07.1996 – 05.10.2025) was the gun commander of the 2nd artillery crew of the artillery battery of the 1st parachute assault battalion of the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade. He was killed near the settlement of Shevchenko in the Pokrovsk district of Donetsk region. This month marks the anniversary of his death. He is buried in the village of Sokilnyky next to his son.
Volodymyr Savka (18.05.1976 – 25.10.2024), a junior sergeant of the 80th Separate Air Assault Brigade, was originally from Ivano-Frankove. On 12 September 2024 he sustained a severe wound on the Kursk axis. After a long period of treatment, on 25 October 2024 his life came to an end. October marks the first anniversary of his death.
Maksym Chaikovskyi (‘Asti’) (05.03.1993 – 29.10.2024) lived in the village of Lelekhivka. He defended Ukraine in the ranks of the 12th Special Purpose Brigade ‘Azov’ of the National Guard of Ukraine. He was killed on 29 October 2024 during a combat mission near the settlement of Nelipivka in the Bakhmut district of Donetsk region. For a long time he was considered missing in action. October marks the second anniversary of his death. He is buried in Lelekhivka.
Senior soldier and grenade launcher operator of military unit A0281 Andrii Zanko (16.03.1981 – 24.10.2024) lived in the settlement of Ivano-Frankove. He was killed on 24 October 2024 in the area of the settlement of Pohrebki in the Sudzha district of Kursk region, while carrying out a combat mission. For more than a year and a half he was considered missing in action. He is buried in his home settlement.
All these stories are a reminder of the high price of freedom paid by the residents of Yavoriv district and other communities. Their names are spoken in the prayers of their relatives and comrades, and their graves have become places of quiet gratitude and remembrance.