On Wednesday, 30 October, Lviv will say goodbye to soldiers Ihor Polev and Andriy Hrusha, who gave their lives defending Ukraine from Russian invaders.
The City Hall calls on residents and visitors to join the city’s farewell ceremony and refrain from entertainment and celebrations during this time.
The funeral ceremony for soldier Ihor Polevyi will begin at 11:00 a.m. in the Garrison Church of Ss. Peter and Paul. Afterwards, a citywide farewell ceremony will be held on Rynok Square. The defender will be buried at Lychakiv Cemetery.
The funeral service for soldier Andriy Hrusha will begin at 12:00 in the Church of the Sacred Heart of Christ of the UGCC (2 Diktova Street). The defender will be buried at the Ryasnyanske cemetery.
Biographical information about the defenders
Ihor Polevyi (“Elephant”) (20.10.1996-23.10.2024). He was born in the village of Dyula, Zakarpattia region, in the family of border guards.
He studied at the former Starosyniava Secondary School No. 1 and Cherkasy Secondary School No. 11. Due to frequent moves of his military parents, he changed a number of educational institutions. In 2021, he graduated from the National University of Odesa Law Academy.
Ihor Polevyi’s father performed combat missions in the anti-terrorist operation zone, so while studying, at the age of 17, he enrolled in the State Border Guard Service training centre to go to the front.
He served as a member of the Odesa Border Guard Detachment (Odesa Air Force) and later entered the Bohdan Khmelnytskyi National Academy of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. Later, Ihor Polevyi served in the Special Operations Department of the 1st Odesa Maritime Security Detachment.
He was promoted to lieutenant. With the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia, he performed combat missions in the Kherson and Mykolaiv directions, then voluntarily joined the 15th Mobile Border Guard Detachment “Steel Frontier” of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. Here, he was appointed to the position of Head of the Border Guard Service’s Ground and Air Reconnaissance Division (Type C). As head of his unit, he performed combat missions in the eastern direction. For his personal courage, he was awarded numerous decorations, including the medal “For Military Service to Ukraine”, the “Badge of Honour” of the Minister of Defence of Ukraine, departmental awards and personalised firearms.
Ihor Polevyi was fond of sports and literature – he always kept Taras Shevchenko’s Kobzar and M. Hrushevskyi’s History of Ukraine-Rus’ with him.
The soldier is survived by his parents, son and ex-wife.
Andrii Hrusha (26.03.1971-26.10.2024). A resident of Lviv.
He studied at Lyceum №38 of the Lviv City Council. He graduated from the Separate Structural Subdivision “College of Technology of Lviv Polytechnic National University”.
After graduation, he worked at Prykarpatpromarmatura Private Joint Stock Company and later held the position of Senior Occupational Health and Safety Engineer at Onur Construction International Limited Liability Company. He actively studied history and knew Lviv well. According to his family, Andrii Hrusha was a faithful Christian and an exceptionally sociable person.
With the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, he stood up to defend his homeland from Russian invaders. He performed combat missions in the ranks of the 10th separate mountain assault brigade “Edelweiss” of the operational command “West” of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Andrii Hrusha is survived by his cousins, brother-in-law, niece and goddaughter.