Andrii V. Horban

Born on January 24, 1993, in the village of Mykolaivka, Kazankivskyi district, Mykolaiv region. In 2010, he graduated from the general education school in the village of Mykolaivka. He studied at the Faculty of Physical Education of Mykolaiv National University named after V.O. Sukhomlynskyi. From 2012 to 2013, he served in the 79th Separate Airborne Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (military unit A0224, Mykolaiv). Since 2013, he continued military service under contract as a squad commander in the 79th Separate Airborne Brigade. From the spring of 2014, he participated in the anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine. He took part in the battles for Savur-Mohyla, the city of Ilovaisk in Donetsk region, and the International Airport "Donetsk." On November 28, 2014, he was one of three soldiers who raised the State Flag on the bullet-ridden roof of the old terminal of the International Airport "Donetsk." On November 29, 2014, during one of the most massive assaults carried out by militants and Russian special forces at the airport in Donetsk, Junior Sergeant Horban covered the most dangerous direction and held off the enemy for half an hour. During the battle, the serviceman received two gunshot wounds. His comrades pulled the severely wounded soldier out under heavy fire. Immediately after, a grenade launcher struck Junior Sergeant Horban's position. The explosion knocked him from the third floor to the second; he was still alive, first aid was provided, and he was evacuated to the hospital. The next day, on November 30, during the operation, Andriy Horban died; his heart could not withstand and stopped. He was buried in the cemetery of the village of Mykolaivka, Kazankivskyi district, Mykolaiv region.