Denys O. Vasyliuk (Flash)

31-year-old Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Denys Vasyliuk (call sign Flash) was killed on May 17, 2024, while carrying out a combat mission in the Kharkiv direction. In the last minutes before the plane was shot down, he dropped 2 bombs on the enemy, thus saving the infantry. His last words to the air traffic controller were "I'm dancing," which in the slang of pilots means "I'm maneuvering from missiles." After that, the connection was lost forever. When Denys was found, his hand was on the steering wheel. He defended the Ukrainian sky until the very end. Denys was born in Crimea. After school, he graduated from the Ivan Kozhedub Kharkiv University of Air Force. From childhood, he participated in various school events, played the guitar, and tried his hand at boxing. He practiced ballroom dancing for 8 years. In his teenage years, he loved mountain tourism. Since 2014, he has been a pilot of the 831st Tactical Aviation Brigade stationed in Myrhorod. He participated in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) / Joint Forces Operation (JFO). He dedicated his entire conscious life to the army. Only in 2021, after the end of the contract, for 5 months before the full-scale invasion, he worked in the IT sector, in the company "Telesens." And after February 24, 2022, he returned to the military again. Denys carried out tasks on all fronts. He directly participated in the liberation of Snake Island. He counteracted enemy fighters together with his comrades-in-arms, for which he received the Order of Courage of the III degree. During his lifetime, the pilot became a full cavalier of the Order of Courage, had the Medal "For Military Service to Ukraine," and posthumously was awarded the Order of the Golden Star. "I have never encountered such a combination of beauty, both external and internal. Denys loved life very much and tried to enjoy every moment. He was very wise and fascinated by psychology. He always had great ambitions. He said he wanted to be an outstanding person to help others. For a while, he even dreamed of becoming president. Denys dreamed of the deoccupation of Crimea, of our victory. He dreamed of peace, his own children, and a peaceful life. After the death of my universe, I began to keep therapeutic video diaries about my states, the history of our love, about who Denys Vasyliuk is, what kind of warrior he is, what kind of person he is. About my grief. These diaries help and support those in a similar situation. I am also now writing a book about the Hero. It will be called "The Story of a Combat Pilot. FLASH. Love Forever and Even More." These were the words we constantly said to each other... There was not a single day during the full-scale invasion that I did not worry about my beloved. Being the wife of a military man is morally very difficult, but it was my choice. And, in addition to worrying and fear for his life, there were very many warm, tender memories... I loved him boundlessly and waited. Always. And even now, I very much want to believe that we will see each other someday... Not in this world... But this thought warms me," the widow Vladyslava said. The defender was buried on the Alley of Heroes in the city of Myrhorod, Poltava region. Denys is survived by his parents, brother, and wife.