Andrii O. Shunkov (Shunia)

21-year-old soldier Andrii Shunikov (call sign Shunya) was killed on February 2, 2023 near Kreminna in the Luhansk region. During the performance of a combat mission, he came under enemy missile fire and received fatal injuries. Andrii was born in Pershotravensk, Dnipropetrovsk region. He graduated from local school No. 5. From a young age, he loved animals very much and tried to protect them all. He was interested in and studied the history of Ukraine. In December 2019, the young man decided to connect his life with the military. He went under contract to the ranks of the National Guard of Ukraine. He served in the 2nd Special Purpose Battalion "Donbas" of the 15th Separate Regiment. He participated in the Joint Forces Operation in Donbas. The young man met the full-scale war on the positions of the Luhansk region. As part of his unit, he continued to defend his native country from the invaders. In April 2022, Andrii was awarded the Order of Courage of the III degree. "In 2014, when Andrii was 13 years old, he went to paramedics to study medicine. Even then, he was a true patriot, had many friends and was an example for them. He received his first combat mission at the age of 18, when he went to Zolote in the Luhansk region. Under his care were an elderly grandmother, a former teacher who could not leave anywhere, and a little boy who was looking for shelter because his parents were drinking. Andrii took part in the deoccupation of the Kharkiv region, in particular the city of Kupiansk. He saved his comrade-in-arms who had an abdominal injury. Doctors were amazed at the first aid provided and the speed of transporting the wounded. He carried his comrades-in-arms who suffered various injuries on his shoulders. He suffered when friends was killed in his arms. He also has hundreds of rescued dogs and cats from under the shelling on his account," the deceased's relatives said. The young warrior was buried in his hometown. Andrii is survived by his mother Antonina, father Oleksandr, relatives and friends.