Andrii M. Shanskyi

Biography compiled by Andrii's mother, Raisa Oleksandrivna Shanska: "Today, June 27, 2016, marks the 37th year since the birth of my son Andrii… But Andrii will always be 35 years old… His beautiful young life was taken by the war, from which he defended his Motherland… Andrii Mykolayovych Shansky was born on June 27, 1979, in the town of Myrny, Telymanivskyi district, Donetsk region. Born in the steppe lands of Donbas to a family of an officer of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, he dreamed from an early age of being a "little forest dweller"… In December 1982, our family moved to the new place of service of his father — to the city of Korosten in the Zhytomyr region. Until 1986, Andrii attended kindergarten, where he was a favorite of both the educators and other children. On September 1, 1986, he entered the 1st grade of Korosten Secondary School No. 7. In 1991, he moved with his family to Chernihiv, to his father's new place of service. From 1991 to 1994, he studied at Chernihiv Secondary School No. 12, actively engaged in sports, training in boxing and in the kayaking and canoeing section of the local children's and youth sports school, but his favorite activity was the young naturalists' club. In 1994, after finishing the 9th grade, Andrii entered the Malyn Forestry Technical School in Zhytomyr region. According to the group leader, Taisia Serhiivna Kovalchuk, he was a child "two heads taller in upbringing" than his classmates, and he was always the first in all endeavors. On February 28, 1998, he completed his studies and was assigned to work at the Chernihiv State Forestry — as a gamekeeper in the Krasyliv Forestry (village of Krasne), where he fed many wild animals during harsh winter times and personally planted more than one hectare of forest, which now grows, decorates, and enriches our Ukrainian land… In the summer of 1998, Andrii enrolled in part-time studies (directly into the 3rd year) at the Lviv State Forestry University, in the faculty for training forestry engineers. During his studies, he worked as a foreman, and later as an assistant forester of the Slavutych Forestry. In June 2002, he graduated from the university, and on November 10 of the same year, he was drafted for compulsory military service in the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, which he served in the separate special purpose brigade "Bars" (military unit 3027). Educated, cultured, balanced, and tactful, Andrii was a good example for other conscript soldiers. In November 2003, he decided to serve in "Bars" under contract — this unit became truly dear and close to him. He held positions as a shooting instructor and commander of a reconnaissance group of the reconnaissance company. On July 8, 2005, warrant officer Shansky departed for the territory of the former Yugoslavia as part of a special peacekeeping unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in the international police forces of the UN mission in the Autonomous Province of Kosovo (UNMIK). He proved himself to be an experienced, well-prepared law enforcement officer, participating in special operations to block smuggling routes for drug and firearms transportation in Kosovo and their seizure, as well as in combat operations to detain particularly dangerous criminals, escorting explosive devices, VIPs, and protecting important facilities of the UN mission administration. In extreme situations, he always acted decisively and quickly, was well-versed in self-defense techniques, constantly worked on improving his professional level, and was very demanding of himself. He actively participated in the sports and public life of the unit, notably winning a medal for participating in the "Danish March" in the spring of 2006 — a 25.2-kilometer march through mountainous terrain initiated by colleagues from Denmark, which became a kind of tradition for the "Kosovo" peacekeepers. On October 22, 2005, a solemn ceremony of the "medal parade" took place at the base of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Pristina, during which Andrii was awarded the UN medal "In Service of Peace." From July 2006, after returning from Kosovo, where he was awarded the next military rank of "Senior Warrant Officer," Andrii continued his service in "Bars" in the positions of commander of the supply platoon of the military shooting range of the combat support company and deputy commander of the special purpose company. On February 20, 2007, he was awarded the initial officer rank of "Junior Lieutenant." Commanders and colleagues remember him with sincere respect as an energetic and authoritative young officer who was fluent in English, had considerable service experience, and excellent career prospects. Andrii was awarded many departmental awards, including the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine's awards "For Distinction in Service" of I and II degrees, the departmental commendation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine — the medal "10 Years of Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine," the commemorative badge of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine — the medal "15 Years of Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine," the badges of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine "For Exemplary Service" of I and II degrees, and jubilee badges in honor of the 10th and 15th anniversaries of the special purpose brigade "Bars." In the winter of 2013-2014, holding the position of staff officer of the brigade, he participated in maintaining public order during the events of the Revolution of Dignity. In mid-April 2014, as part of a combined detachment of the Northern Operational Territorial Command of the National Guard of Ukraine, Andrii went on a 3-day business trip to the city of Donetsk. At that time, extremists were already destabilizing the political situation, and the population was preparing for the so-called "referendum." The business trip extended until May 10, 2014, during which the "Bars" had to counteract extremist-minded "peaceful miners" 11 times… In June, Andrii was transferred from his native brigade to the Northern Territorial Command of the National Guard, where he took the position of senior officer of the public order service organization department. On September 1, 2014, he was supposed to go on vacation, but on August 31, as part of a combined detachment of the Operational Tactical Unit, he again went to Donbas. To us, his parents, who were eagerly waiting for their son, Andrii said that he was going for two weeks to the training center "Stare," because "everyone is in the East, and there is no one to train the fighters" (this was said so convincingly that it was impossible to believe in the falsehood of these words). He told his wife Marichka that he was going for a few days to Mariupol "to resolve some service issues"… In Mariupol, the unit received orders, and they set off past the city of Volnovakha, through the village of Starohnativka, Nova Laspa, Hranitne towards the village of Telymanove. Hranitne — the place where he was born — greeted Andrii with hostility: the guards had to change their location several times because local residents were "working" for the enemy, correcting artillery fire on the positions of Ukrainian soldiers. After crossing a partially destroyed bridge over the Kalmius River, the National Guard unit headed towards Telymanove. On the approaches to the settlement on September 5, 2014, around 16:00, the column of vehicles and armored vehicles, which included Andrii, came under concentrated fire from both sides. An armored personnel carrier caught fire at the head of the column, bullets and shrapnel riddled the cabins and bodies of the brand new KrAZ trucks, and in the first minutes of the battle, the commander of the company, Captain P. Lavrinenko, and the driver, soldier O. Zvinnyk, fell to sniper fire. At the tail of the column, militants opened fire with grenade launchers and mortars. But the guards, despite the fact that most of them were very young conscripts, did not falter — engaging in battle and returning fire, they went on the attack, forcing the enemy to retreat. 28 fighters broke out of the "fire bag" (16 of them were injured). Covering their comrades, Captain A. Shansky, Junior Sergeant Y. Spashchenko, and Soldier M. Kobryniuk were killed… Warriors, Defenders, Heroes — they died an hour before the signing of the peace agreement in Minsk… Andrii was laid to rest on September 9 in Chernihiv — that day the city authorities declared a day of mourning. Among the many people who came to the memorial service and funeral to honor the fallen officer and express condolences to his family were friends, combat comrades from the National Guard, local government officials and the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Chernihiv region, public activists, as well as many local residents, even those who were not familiar with Andrii and his family, but were not indifferent to their grief… By the decree of the President of Ukraine No. 838/2014 dated October 31, 2014, "for personal courage and heroism displayed in the defense of the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, loyalty to the military oath," Captain Andrii Mykolayovych Shansky was posthumously awarded the Order "For Courage" III degree. By the order of the Commander of the National Guard of Ukraine No. 130 o/s dated November 17, 2014, he was posthumously awarded the next military rank of "Major." Our Ukraine has lost its wonderful son, who had a bright future ahead and completely peaceful plans, because after serving in the army, Andrii dreamed of returning to work in forestry. The forests planted by Andrii are growing, the soldiers he saved rejoice in life, the sun he loved shines, his young wife is left a widow, the parental home is orphaned, where a new forestry engineer's uniform hangs in the closet, which he will never wear again… Ukraine! Ukrainian people! Let us remember our glorious sons who gave their lives for our freedom and independence! Glory to the Heroes, glory, glory!"