Artem O. Hurtovyi

Senior Sergeant of the Border Guard Service Artem Hurtovyi was killed on May 10, 2022 in Lysychansk, Luhansk region. Two days before his death, he turned 26 years old. Artem was from Luhansk region. He studied at Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University in Starobilsk. There he met his future wife and started a family. The young man had an active life position, so during his studies he volunteered and helped the Armed Forces of Ukraine. After graduation, Artem Hurtovyi went to serve in the Luhansk Border Guard Unit named after the Hero of Ukraine, Colonel Yevhen Pikus. He was a technician of the special integrated information and telecommunication equipment department of the border rapid response commando "Novopskov". On February 20, 2022, Artem and Daria's twin daughters turned one year old. The man took a vacation at that time to celebrate and be with his family. They planned to go on vacation. However, that day the serviceman was called from the unit and informed that within a day he had to gather, buy ammunition and return to his unit. On February 24, he was supposed to go to Novopskov. But his unit was redeployed to Starobilsk. Artem managed to come home one more time. For the last time. "I'll be honest: I hugged him for the last time then and offered to stay. And he says: 'No. You understand that if I stay now, our future is only Russia. How will I look the girls in the eye if I stay?'" And my words, for which I now blame myself: 'At least you'll be able to look at them, than not at all,'" Daria, the wife of the fallen defender, told journalists. On May 10 at 12:00, Senior Sergeant Artem Hurtovyi, together with his comrade, took up duty at the oil refinery in Lysychansk. At 13:15, a shell hit the plant. Artem received serious injuries, fell into a coma and was killed on the way to the hospital. His comrade was killed immediately. According to his wife, Artem dreamed that his daughters would live in Ukraine, speak Ukrainian and be raised in love for their country. The hero was buried at the Krasnopilsky cemetery in Dnipro. His wife Daria and two 1.5-year-old daughters, Myroslava and Emiliia, did not wait for the defender.