On Thursday, December 7, Lviv will say goodbye to servicemen Volodymyr Gerasymlyuk and Taras Rybchak, who defended Ukraine from the Russian invaders. The City Hall calls on Lviv residents and guests to join the city’s farewell ceremony and to refrain from entertainment events and celebrations during this time.
At 09:00 a.m. in the Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos (Saint John Paul II Square) a farewell to the soldier Volodymyr Gerasimlyuk will be held.
The funeral rites of defenders Volodymyr Gerasymlyuk and Taras Rybchak will begin at 11:00 a.m. in the Garrison Church of Sts. App. Peter and Paul, at 11:30 a city farewell ceremony will take place on Rynok Square.
The soldiers will be buried at the Lychakiv cemetery.
Biographical references of defenders
Volodymyr Gerasimlyuk (29.08.1985-04.12.2023). A native of Lviv.
Studied at Secondary comprehensive school #72. He was educated at the State Vocational and Technical Educational Institution “Lviv Vocational Polytechnic Lyceum” (then Vocational and Technical School No. 33 of the city of Lviv).
In peacetime, he worked in the construction industry, for a certain period he lived in the capital. Volodymyr Gerasymlyuk was an exceptionally kind and cheerful person, adored animals, was fond of fishing and mushroom picking.
With the beginning of a full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, despite the lack of military experience, he stood up to protect the Motherland from the invaders. Defended the sovereignty and independence of the state in the eastern direction in the ranks of the 24th separate mechanized brigade named after King Danylo of the operational command “West” of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Volodymyr Gerasymlyuk is survived by his mother, cousins, sisters, nephews, uncle and godfather.
Taras Rybchak (April 13, 1987-December 3, 2023). A native of the village of Goleshiv, Lviv region.
He studied at the Goleshiv Secondary School of the Lviv region.
In 2005-2006, he served in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Subsequently, he successfully graduated from the Lviv Vocational College of Construction, Architecture and Design.
During 2017-2020, he held the position of firefighter and rescuer in the 4th state fire and rescue squad of the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in the Lviv region. According to the management, during his service he always took the initiative and showed exceptional courage in extreme situations.
With the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, he volunteered to defend the Motherland from the invaders. Performed combat missions to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state as part of the military unit A4788 of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Taras Rybchak is survived by his wife and 8-year-old daughter.