Andrii I. Zholondyk (Zvirobii)

Junior Sergeant Andrii Zholondyk (call sign Zvirobii) was killed on May 4, 2023, in battle with the enemy in the Bakhmut direction in the Donetsk region. The defender was 31 years old. Andrii was born in Chervonohrad, Lviv region. After school, he went to study at a vocational school to become a miller. However, he was interested in history from childhood. So, in the end, he entered the Faculty of History of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. During the summer holidays, he always tried to work to help his family. During his student years, he was an active participant in the Revolution of Dignity. Together with his friends, he stood with Molotov cocktails against armored personnel carriers. As part of the "Right Sector," he guarded the Trade Unions House. When the war began, he wanted to go to military training or the army, but his mother refused. After graduating from the university in 2015, he got a job at Nova Poshta LLC. He started as an ordinary receiver in the city center, then went to work at the terminal. "He loved Ukraine very much since childhood, he didn't want to go abroad to study or work, although this opportunity was open to him. As a friend, he was very good, as a person - very fair. He loved people and tried to help everyone he could. He was too good for this world," his relatives say. When the full-scale war began, Andrii and his colleague went to the military enlistment office as volunteers. Although he had asthma and had a "white ticket," they did not want to take him, but the man insisted. They were engaged in guarding bridges and state facilities. In March 2022, he married his girlfriend at the military enlistment office. He underwent training and in the fall got into the assault battalion of the 710th brigade of the State Special Transport Service of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. As part of the unit, he defended the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions. In April 2023, he was seriously wounded - a mine hit the trench. After treatment, he returned to the front line. For the last time. "My beloved husband Andrii will forever remain in May 2023 young, beautiful, sincere, courageous and unbreakable. Andrii heroically was killed, covering his comrades-in-arms, during a fierce battle. He was where he could not but be, with those whose lives he trusted and whom he defended to the last breath. All who knew Andrii personally will agree that he was always genuine and sincere, reliable and cheerful, erudite and incredibly interesting. For this and much more, everyone loved and respected him!" wrote the wife of the fallen Olena. "My son went to the army right after February 24. He went as a volunteer. He honorably fulfilled his duty to protect his native land. He was a devoted friend, a good person and a warrior. He defended our land near Bakhmut, where he led his comrades-in-arms in his last battle," said Liubov Zholondyk. The hero was buried on the Alley of Glory of the Bendyuzky cemetery in the Lviv region. Andrii left behind a loving family, friends and comrades-in-arms. Andrii Zholondyk was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage of the III degree.