Andrii S. Vorobkalo (Hrek)

Senior soldier Andrii Vorobkalo (call sign Hreek) was killed on April 2, 2023 in the battle for the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region. An enemy tank shell cut short the warrior's life. He was forever 26 years old. Andrii was born in the village of Khutory in the Cherkasy region. When he was 13 years old, he moved to live in Greece. He graduated from the Warsaw University of International Relations "Civitas" in Poland. He returned to Greece. There he opened a martial arts school. He was also a co-owner of the restaurant business "Hotspotpizzabar". He achieved significant success in sports, having a black belt in taekwondo. When the full-scale war began, the man decided to return to his homeland and join the army. Later he became a fighter of the 9th separate rifle battalion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He mastered the mortar business and took the position of the commander of the mortar crew. He fought on the Kherson and Donetsk directions. "Andrii was an exceptional person with many talents and achievements. He knew almost six languages, which testifies to his remarkable intellect and thirst for knowledge. The most important feature of his character was his boundless love for Ukraine. Andrii loved his homeland like no one else. When the war began, he left everything: a successful business, life abroad. And he returned home to defend the freedom of his country. Andrii fought, showing remarkable courage and dedication to his cause. He was always at the forefront, setting an example for others and not sparing himself for the future of Ukraine. His dedication and patriotism were unshakable, he fought for every inch of his native land," his mother Oksana wrote. Andrii was buried in his native village of Khutory. The defender is survived by his mother, younger brother, father, stepfather, grandfathers and grandmothers. The hero was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage of the III degree.