Andrii S. Taran (Deimos)

23-year-old Junior Lieutenant Andriy Taran (call sign Deimos) was killed on August 17, 2023 near the village of Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhia region. During the performance of a combat mission, he was conducting medical evacuation of wounded soldiers under heavy mortar fire. His life was cut short by an enemy guided aerial bomb. Andriy was born in the village of Saksahan, Dnipropetrovsk region. He graduated from the Kryvyi Rih Regional Boarding School for Rural Youth. He then studied at the Flight Academy of the National Aviation University, which he graduated from in 2023. He obtained a degree in air traffic management engineering. In 2021, during his studies, he completed the military department and became a reserve officer. In parallel, he worked at PJSC "Airline "Ukrainian Helicopters", holding the position of dispatcher at the flight support and relocation department of the flight operations department. He studied English in-depth, was actively involved in sports, was passionate about tennis and volleyball, read a lot, and was interested in psychology. In March 2023, Andriy was mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He underwent training and was sent to serve in the 118th Separate Mechanized Brigade, where he took the position of assistant chief of staff, commander of the reconnaissance platoon. "He was an incredible person with a kind heart. Strong both physically and spiritually. Very intelligent, focused, and fair. Andriy was a reliable support for the family, a loving son, a caring brother, and a reliable friend," his sister Olga Gryshkevych said. The officer was buried in his native village. At home, his parents and sister were waiting for Andriy.