On Thursday, January 16, Lviv will hold a farewell ceremony for Dmytro Hanzha and Volodymyr Matskiv, who died fighting Russian invaders. The city council urges residents and visitors to attend the event and refrain from festive or entertainment activities on this day.
Farewell Ceremony
The funeral service will begin at 11:00 a.m. at the Garrison Church of Saints Peter and Paul. Around 11:30 a.m., a citywide ceremony will take place at Rynok Square. The Heroes will be laid to rest at Lychakiv Cemetery.
About Dmytro Hanzha and Volodymyr Matskiv
Dmytro Hanzha (“Papai”)
- Born: February 10, 1979.
- Hometown: Kramatorsk, Donetsk region.
- Education: Studied at Kramatorsk Ukrainian Gymnasium and earned two degrees at Donbas State Machine-Building Academy – in “Automation of Mechanical Engineering and Information Technologies” and “Enterprise Economics.”
- Career: Worked as a junior research fellow at the Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery since moving to Lviv in 2014.
- Hobbies: Passionate about metal music, collecting CDs, fishing, and practicing aikido.
- Military Service: Joined the 125th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade after Russia’s full-scale invasion, serving in Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions.
- Family: Survived by his wife and mother.
Volodymyr Matskiv
- Born: November 16, 1970.
- Hometown: Lviv.
- Education: Studied at Lviv Lyceum No. 66 and pursued vocational training, later serving in the tank forces.
- Personal Traits: Remembered as a joyful and kind individual, a caring father, devoted husband, and loving son.
- Military Service: Served in the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, fulfilling missions in the Luhansk region.
- Family: Survived by his wife, son, and father.
Call to Action
The city council invites residents to honor the fallen Heroes by participating in the farewell ceremony.