Andrii V. Khabinets (Did)

Sergeant Andriy Khabynets (call sign Did) was killed in action on June 26, 2022, in battle with the occupiers near the village of Mazanivka in Donetsk region. The fighter was 55 years old. Andriy was born and lived in Kyiv, a native of Kyiv in the fourth generation. He graduated from Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, received the profession of mechanical engineer. He worked as a customs broker. He read a lot, stu history. He kept bees. He loved to travel around Ukraine with his beloved wife. When the Russian-Ukrainian war began, Andriy became a volunteer. Then he took part in the Anti-Terrorist Operation in Donbas. In 2014-2015, he fought as part of the 25th separate airborne brigade. Participated in the battles for the mine "Butivka" near Donetsk airport. For this period, he was awarded the breastplate "Participant of the ATO". After demobilization, he returned to civilian life. But continued to learn military affairs, as he understood that a full-scale war would begin. He went to shooting ranges, attended courses in tactical medicine. In September 2021, he signed a contract for military service in the reserve of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 2015, he began building his own house. Together with his family, he planned to move there in 2022. And then the family was going to go on a trip to Kherson and Mykolaiv regions. On the first day of the full-scale Russian invasion, February 24, 2022, Andriy went to his 25th brigade, which was on the front line. He received a concussion and injuries. But after treatment, he immediately returned to his comrades. "They say it will be easier... But no, it's worse than when I heard that Sasha and Andrusha were killed. And a few minutes later, I saw condolences on Facebook. This can't be, you promised to return. I learned that you on June 27. And on the day of your death, a cross fell from my neck, which I never took off. I was so scared. And for good reason. In the first two months of the war, you aged 15 years. I didn't recognize you in the hospital where you were taken with shrapnel wounds. You withered away and kept repeating: "And I was there, and I was there". It feels like you were in hell! And you two months after being injured. This is an incurable pain that you were killed. They killed our future. They killed our plans. They killed everything..." wrote his wife Irina, with whom Andriy lived for 31 years. Andriy was buried in the Bortnychi district of Kyiv. The defender left behind a wife and a daughter.