Bohdan H. Leshchyshyn

Bohdan Grygorovych Leshchishin was born on October 25, 1982, in the village of Dusaniv in Lviv Oblast. In 2005, he graduated from the Military Institute of Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine with a degree in "Automobiles and Automotive Economy." He served in the 1st Regiment of the Protection of Particularly Important State Facilities (Dnipro), the training center of the internal troops (2010–2018, Zolochiv), and held the position of head of the labor protection service (2018–2022) of the 4th Operational Brigade named after Hero of Ukraine Sergeant Serhiy Mykhalchuk of the National Guard of Ukraine. He participated in battles in the ATO zone. When on February 24, 2022, at 5:00 AM, Russian occupation forces began launching missile and bombing strikes on the city of Hostomel and carried out an airborne assault at the Antonov International Cargo Airport, the personnel of the brigade remaining at its base, including Lieutenant Colonel Leshchishin, bravely repelled enemy attacks. On March 12, 2022, Bohdan Leshchishin led a armored group of the brigade that was to operate in conjunction with units of the separate mechanized brigade named after the Black Zaporizhzhia Cossacks, which were advancing towards the village of Huta-Mezhyhirskaya in the Vyshhorod district. They received a typical combat mission for frontline time — to connect, secure the designated line, deploy platoon strongholds, and prevent the enemy from advancing further. During the movement of the column, the enemy attempted to break through the line of defense through a massive artillery bombardment involving 3 tanks, 5 BMPs, and about a company of infantry. Lieutenant Colonel Leshchishin decided to mislead the enemy. Changing the route of movement, he identified convenient firing positions for his subordinates to cover the main columns of the 72nd Brigade and provide armed resistance to the enemy. In the first minutes of the battle, 3 Russian BMPs and about a platoon of infantry were destroyed. After identifying the location of the guardsmen, the occupiers opened fire in response. Lieutenant Colonel Leshchishin sustained a shrapnel wound to his thigh but refused evacuation and continued to command his unit. In the difficult combat situation, despite pain and blood loss, the commander was able to determine and analyze the direction of the main enemy forces and outline safe retreat routes for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At that moment, an enemy shell hit the positions of the guardsmen, and Bohdan Grygorovych received a traumatic brain injury, yet he continued to lead his squad and adjust the fire of his subordinates. The desperate resistance of the group of brave men infuriated the Russians — soon the positions of the Hostomel guardsmen were shelled by enemy Grad rockets. Lieutenant Colonel Leshchishin received new injuries but with his last strength tried not to lose consciousness, determine the coordinates of the enemy's forces and means, and transmit them to his superior for artillery fire. Unfortunately, his injuries were too severe. Bohdan Leshchishin died on the battlefield on March 12, 2022. On March 24, 2022, he was buried in his native village of Dusaniv in the Lviv district of Lviv Oblast. He is survived by his wife and daughter.