On Wednesday, March 13, Lviv will say goodbye to three soldiers. Andriy Buchkovsky, Orest Kostetsky, and Oleksandr Kostenko were killed by Russian occupiers while defending Ukraine.
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.
In the morning, at 09:30, a prayer and farewell to Oleksandr Kostenko will be held in the Church of the Ascension (81a Shyroka St.).
The funeral service for soldiers Oleksandr Kostenko, Orest Kostetsky and Andriy Buchkovsky will begin at 11:00 in the Garrison Church of the Apostles Peter and Paul, at 11:00 in the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. Peter and Paul, at 11:30 a city farewell ceremony will be held on Rynok Square. The defenders will be buried at Lychakiv Cemetery.
Biographical information about the defenders
Oleksandr Kostenko (14.08.1970-05.03.2024) A resident of Lviv.
He studied at the secondary school №65 in Lviv. Since 1993, he worked in the 1st detachment of paramilitary security at the Lviv Railway Department, and in 2013 he took the position of a 6th category repairman at TM Limo, where he adjusted production equipment.
He was a reliable and calm person, a master with “golden hands”. He was fond of fishing, he was a good painter, a very educated man, he read a lot and learned something new. All his life he was involved in sports, achieving personal records. In 2008, together with his father, he recreated the crown of King Danylo Halytskyi, which is exhibited in museums.
In 2015-2017, as a volunteer with the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade, he defended Ukraine in the anti-terrorist operation zone, and in 2019-2020 he performed tasks in the 128th Separate Mountain Assault Transcarpathian Brigade.
With the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia, he joined the 125th separate territorial defense brigade of the regional directorate “West” of the territorial defense forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to defend the state. He repeatedly received personal awards for military merit.
Oleksandr Kostenko is survived by his son, daughter-in-law, grandson and his wife of over 35 years.
Orest Kostetskyi (25.08.1993-06.03.2024) A resident of Lviv.
He studied at the secondary school №9. He studied at the private higher education institution IT Step University.
Throughout his life, he worked in various fields, most recently as a designer at SolipsLab. He was fond of IT technologies and dreamed of creating UAVs for the military using 3D printing.
He participated in the events during the Revolution of Dignity. In 2017, he signed a contract as a volunteer with the 36th Separate Marine Brigade named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Bilynskyi of the Ukrainian Navy and performed combat missions in the ATO/JFO area.
From the first day of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, he joined the ranks of the 80th separate airborne assault brigade of the Galician Airborne Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to defend his homeland from the Russian invaders. He defended the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state on the southern and eastern directions.
By the decrees of the President of Ukraine, he was awarded the Order “For Courage” of the III degree and the award “For Defense of Ukraine”.
Orest Kostetskyi is survived by his grandmother, mother, brother, niece, nephew, aunt and cousin.
Andrii Buchkovskyi (13.12.1974-20.08.2023) A native of the village of Lozyno, Lviv region. Later, his family moved to Lviv.
He studied at the Taras Shevchenko Secondary School No. 44 in Lviv. He graduated from the former Lviv College of Industrial Automation. After graduation, he served in the military.
He worked in the field of property protection services in Lviv. He was an extremely kind person and loved to spend time with his family.
During 2015-2016, he performed combat missions in the anti-terrorist operation area as part of the 72nd separate mechanized brigade named after the Black Cossacks of the operational command “North” of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
With the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, he stood up to defend his homeland from the invaders. He performed combat missions first in the Sumy region, and later in the southern direction in the ranks of the 116th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the 10th Army Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Andriy Buchkovsky is survived by his grandfather, mother, stepfather, wife and 18-year-old daughter.