Andrii I. Drozd (Tikhan)

Senior soldier Andriy Drozd (call sign Tikhan) was killed on June 23, 2023 while performing a combat mission in the Zaporizhia region. The defender was forever 20 years old. Andriy was born in the village of Dashava, Lviv region. From an early age he lived with his family in the village of Zahirne. He studied at the local school. Then he graduated from the culinary faculty of the Lviv Youth Training Center named after St. John Bosco. He worked as a cook in a Lviv restaurant. He was passionate about cooking. In 2020, the guy was drafted for military service. The following year, he signed a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He carried out combat missions on the territory of the Joint Forces Operation. During the full-scale war, Andriy fought against the occupiers in the ranks of the 148th separate artillery brigade of the airborne assault troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He underwent training in France and became a platoon commander, commanding the Caesar artillery system. During his service, the soldier was awarded the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine's "Steel Cross" and the medal "For Military Service to Ukraine". "Andriiko dreamed of starting his own business, some kind of cafe. He dreamed of building a house or buying an apartment, dreamed of a family and children. He loved children very much. When he came to visit friends, he brought toys or treats. The children were happy with him. He was a good, obedient, smart boy. Comrades-in-arms said that he could be relied upon," the mother of the fallen soldier said. The warrior was buried in his native village of Dashava. Andriy is survived by his father Ivan, mother Natalia and sister Yulia.