Peers of independence who died for Ukraine

For the second year in a row, Ukraine has been celebrating its main national holiday, Independence Day, in the midst of a great war for its life and freedom. Therefore, there will be no parade or crowded gatherings for obvious reasons... But on this day, we must remember other things and other people.

For the entire democratic world, Ukrainians, people of different ethnic backgrounds, have become a symbol of courage, a kind of collective biblical David who went out with a sling in his hand against the heavily armed Russian Goliath. What unites these men and women above all is that most of them are young people who grew up in a free country, where they did not know and do not want to know Russian slavery.  Of course, there are many of them who are the same age as Independence, those who will turn 32 in 2023. But many of them will never be older than their 32, 30, 25...

People who came to Maidan in 2004 and 2013, who have been defending their country with arms since 2014... On the eve of the holiday, we bow our heads to those who died for Ukraine.

The statistics do not yet know the exact numbers, but all those who died defending Ukraine are Heroes, and we will always remember them. But today, Ukrinform can only mention by name those who were the same age as Independence and were posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.

Yevhen Zelensky

He was born on January 28, 1991, in Potsdam, Germany. The commander of the special group of the 8th Special Forces Regiment of the operational command "North" of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Senior Lieutenant. Hero of Ukraine.

Yevhen is a career officer, graduated from the Hetman Petro Sahaidachnyi Army Academy. As the commander of the reconnaissance group of the 8th separate Special Forces regiment, he and his subordinates were always in the hottest spots.

On June 17, 2014, in the town of Shchastia, Luhansk region, Zelenskyi's group of five soldiers was tasked with liberating a group of fighters from the Aidar battalion from captivity. The scouts accomplished their task, but were ambushed. The warriors repelled the attack, but their commander was fatally wounded.

For seven days, doctors at the Main Military Clinical Hospital in Kyiv fought for Yevhen's life, but were powerless - on June 24, 2014, the soldier's heart stopped.

On August 23, 2014, Senior Lieutenant Yevhen Zelensky was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine for heroism and self-sacrifice in the defense of the territorial integrity of the Ukrainian state and loyalty to the military oath.

Oleksandr Plekhanov

Born on March 7, 1991 in Kyiv. Hero of Ukraine from the Heavenly Hundred, Euromaidan activist.

He dreamed of becoming an architect and in 2009 entered the Faculty of Architecture of the Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture. The day after his death, he was to receive his bachelor's degree...

After the beating of students on November 30, 2013, Oleksandr Plekhanov regularly participated in protests. His self-made poster formulated the demands of the protesters: Yanukovych's resignation, punishment of security forces responsible for the dispersal of peaceful protesters, and Ukraine's European integration. Protesters gathered around the slogans written on cardboard.

On February 18, 2014, on the barricades near the House of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine, he received a bullet wound to the head... The guy was taken to Kyiv City Clinical Hospital #17, but doctors failed to save Oleksandr. He died on the night of February 19, 2014.

By the Decree of the President of Ukraine of February 20, 2015, Oleksandr Plekhanov was awarded the title of "Hero of Ukraine" for civic courage, patriotism, heroic defense of the constitutional principles of democracy, human rights and freedoms, selfless service to the Ukrainian people.

Vitaliy Bokhonok

He was born on March 25, 1991 in Pavlivka village, Mykolaiv region. Major of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Knight of the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi of three degrees. He is a Hero of Ukraine.

Vitaliy Bokhonok has been defending Ukraine from Russian aggression since 2014. At first, he was a member of the 79th separate airborne assault brigade, and in April 2022 he became a battalion commander in the 25th separate airborne Sicheslav brigade. After 24.02.2022, the officer commanded a parachute battalion near Novoselivka, Donetsk region.

On July 25, during an artillery shelling near Zaitseve, Major Bokhonok was seriously wounded. He died in a hospital in the city of Dnipro from wounds sustained in battle on July 29, 2022.

He was awarded the title of "Hero of Ukraine" on November 18, 2022, posthumously for personal courage and heroism in the defense of state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and loyalty to the oath of allegiance.

Vladyslav Zubenko

Born on April 22, 1991 in Kharkiv. Civil activist, participant of Euromaidan. Hero of the "Heavenly Hundred". Hero of Ukraine.

He wrote poetry. He was fond of historical reenactment, participated in tournaments in Ukraine and abroad in knightly armor. From the tenth grade, he headed the school government, and later participated as a volunteer in programs to promote a healthy lifestyle. He was a volunteer scout at the YMCA of Ukraine, a volunteer at the Center for Social Services for Family, Children and Youth in Dzerzhynskyi district of Kharkiv.

On February 19, 2014, he came to the Independence Square in Kyiv wearing knightly armor. On the same day, he was enrolled in one of the hundreds of Maidan Self-Defense. On February 20, 2014, on Instytutska Street, he received a severe gunshot wound, a bullet hit him in the stomach when he was covering his wounded comrades with a shield. He was hospitalized at Kyiv City Clinical Hospital No. 4 and later transferred to the intensive care unit of the Heart Institute. He was being prepared for further treatment in Israel or Germany, but on February 28, 2014, Vladyslav died.

According to the Presidential Decree of November 21, 2014, Vladyslav Zubenko was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine for civic courage, patriotism, heroic defense of the constitutional principles of democracy, human rights and freedoms, selfless service to the Ukrainian people during the Revolution of Dignity.

Oleksandr Kapush

He was born on July 27, 1991 in Uzhhorod, Transcarpathian region. Senior soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Hero of Ukraine.

He served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 2006, he was a senior mechanic-driver - commander of the 15th separate battalion of the 128th separate mountain infantry brigade. From May 2014 he took part in the anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine, in particular in the battles for Luhansk airport and Debaltseve, Donetsk region.

On February 6, 2015 during the "cleansing" of the territory of Chornukhyne (Popasna district, Luhansk region) as part of an assault group he was wounded by a grenade fragment.

According to the Decree of the President of Ukraine of October 12, 2017, "for exceptional courage and heroism in the defense of state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, loyalty to the military oath", he was awarded the title "Hero of Ukraine" (posthumously).

Mykhailo Chabanenko, call sign «Fox"

He was born on August 21, 1991 in Zvenyhorod, Cherkasy region. He was the senior sergeant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

For more than seven years, he served in the 30th separate mechanized brigade named after Prince Kostiantyn Ostrozkyi.

According to his sister, Mykhailo was ordered to bring people to a certain position. But he felt (he told us about it!) that the radio wave was being tapped, so he took his comrades to the wrong place and reported to the command that the order had been fulfilled. Two minutes later, the enemy artillery covered that position - everything was scorched, no one would have survived there. They thought they were all dead. But he turned off the communication, just led and brought people out.

He died on August 16 in a fierce battle in Donetsk region.

On July 8, 2023, Senior Sergeant Chabanenko was posthumously awarded the title "Hero of Ukraine" for personal courage and heroism in the defense of state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, selfless service to the Ukrainian people.

Maksym Kahal, call sign "Piston".

He was born on December 1, 1991, in Kremenchuk, Poltava region. Ukrainian kickboxer, senior lieutenant of the National Guard of Ukraine, Hero of Ukraine.

Winner of city, regional and national championships (kickboxing, rugby). Winner and bronze medalist of the ISKA 2014 World Kickboxing Championship. Silver medalist of the Kremenchuk Open Rugby 7s Championship. Bronze medalist in the K-1 division (weight category up to 60 kg).

Since 2015, he served in the separate special forces unit "Azov" of the National Guard of Ukraine. He participated in the battles for the village of Shyrokyne, Mariupol district, Donetsk region.

After the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine, he defended Mariupol, was a platoon commander. On March 5, he led a combined unit that defeated a battalion tactical group of the enemy: a lot of manpower and several pieces of military equipment were destroyed. Later, the group led by Kahal eliminated the enemy's command post. He captured a soldier of a special forces unit.

He died on March 25, 2022, during an enemy assault on Ukrainian positions on the outskirts of Mariupol.

According to the Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 201/2022 of April 2, 2022, Senior Lieutenant Kahal Maksym Volodymyrovych was awarded the title "Hero of Ukraine" (posthumously) for personal courage and heroism in the defense of state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, loyalty to the military oath.

Ihor Kostenko

He was born on December 31, 1991 in the village of Zubrets, Buchach district, Ternopil region. Journalist for the publication "Sportanalytics". He studied at the fifth year of the Geography Department of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. An activist of Euromaidan.

He was an editor of the Ukrainian Wikipedia. Since July 23, 2011, under the nickname Ig2000, he has written more than 280 articles in two and a half years, and edited more than 1600 materials. His article about the destroyer "Nezamozhennyk" of the Ukrainian Soviet Navy of the first half of the 20th century was recognized by the community as one of the most complete and received the status of a "good article".

Ihor Kostenko was an active participant in the Revolution of Dignity. Ihor repeatedly traveled to Kyiv with his friends.

He was killed by a sniper's bullet on February 20, 2014, on Instytutska Street.

For civic courage, patriotism, heroic defense of the constitutional principles of democracy, human rights and freedoms, selfless service to the Ukrainian people, shown during the Revolution of Dignity, by the Decree of the President of Ukraine of November 21, 2014, Ihor Kostenko was awarded the title of "Hero of Ukraine" (posthumously).

Eternal Glory and the Kingdom of Heaven to all the fallen Heroes of Ukraine. WE WILL WIN!

Mariana Rabchenyuk-Petrychenko, according to the media