On Friday, 17 May, Lviv will say goodbye to soldiers Nazar Khmilevsky and Andriy Vaskiv, who were killed by Russian occupiers while defending Ukraine. Both soldiers died on the same day while evacuating their wounded comrades. Lviv City Hall calls on Lviv residents and guests to join the city’s farewell ceremony and refrain from holding entertainment events and celebrations during this time.
The funeral service for the defenders will begin at 11:00 a.m. in the Garrison Church of Ss. Peter and Paul, at 11:30 a city farewell ceremony will be held on Rynok Square.
The soldiers will be buried at the Lychakiv Cemetery.
Biographical references of the defenders
Andriy Vaskiv (09.08.1976-09.05.2024) A resident of Lviv.
He studied at Ivan Franko Lyceum No. 51 of the Lviv City Council. He graduated from the former Lviv Technical School of Railway Transport. After graduation, he served in the ranks of the communications troops.
He worked at the Lviv Railway Regional Branch of the Lviv Railway Joint Stock Company. In his spare time, he was fond of fishing and football. According to his family, he was extremely “kind, cheerful, honest and decent”.
With the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, he stood up to defend the state from the occupiers. He performed combat missions first in the Kyiv region, and later in the Donetsk region as part of the 53rd separate rifle battalion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He died during the evacuation of his wounded comrades.
Andrii Vaskiv is survived by his wife, son, brother, mother-in-law, large family, friends, comrades-in-arms and acquaintances.
Nazar Khmilevskyi (21.05.1992-09.05.2024) Born in the town of Kivertsi, Volyn region.
He studied at Kivertsi school No. 4 and later entered the Volyn Regional Lyceum. In 2015, he graduated from Danylo Halytskyi Lviv National Medical University.
After graduation, he worked as an infectious disease doctor, and before the war, he conducted diagnostics and consultations in mobile optics. He was fond of cars and often attended Ukrainian music festivals. He loved to spend time with children.
With the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, despite his lack of military experience, he stood up to defend his homeland from the occupiers. He performed combat missions in the “hot spots” of Donetsk region as a member of the 53rd separate rifle battalion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He defended the city of Bakhmut, for which he was awarded the medal “Unbreakable Heroes of the Russian-Ukrainian War”. He died while evacuating wounded comrades.
Nazar Khmilevsky is survived by his mother, wife, two daughters and cousins.