Tanker Vasyl Denysyuk

Today, 15 April, a farewell ceremony will be held in Kryvyi Rih for 32-year-old tanker  of the 17th Guards Separate Tank Brigade Vasyl Denysyuk.

Before the war, Vasyl worked as a driver at a metallurgical plant.  After being conscripted, Denysyuk became a tanker  in the crew of Oleksiy Ostashchuk and Konstantin Tkachuk. 

Tankers from the 1st Battalion of the 17th Tank Brigade saved thousands of lives of Ukrainian military personnel and civilians on the front line. The defence of the bridgehead relied on them.

All three members of the tank crew – Ostashchuk, Tkachuk and Denysyuk were killed on 1 February 2015 after their tank was hit by a Russian anti-tank guided missile. The young men had no chance of survival.

Unfortunately, not a single fighter from the tank battalion was either awarded a decoration or even mentioned in dispatches. But all of them, both the living and the fallen, will remain in our memory forever.

Eternal memory to the heroes who fell in battle for the freedom and independence of Ukraine! And a deep bow of respect!