Hennadii R. Kernychnyi (Vikinh)

27-year-old Sergeant Hennadii Kernychnyi (call sign Viking) died on September 23, 2024, while carrying out a combat mission in the Kharkiv region. He sustained fatal injuries as a result of enemy fire from an FPV drone. Hennadii was from the village of Sloboda-Hulivska in Vinnytsia Oblast. He graduated from the Bukovyna Military and Sports Lyceum and the Mykhailovetskyi Agrarian Lyceum, where he obtained the qualification of beekeeper. He later received an agronomist qualification from the Podilskyi State University. He was passionate about beekeeping and horticulture, maintaining beehives and a 5-hectare orchard. After his studies, Hennadii immediately volunteered to defend Ukraine. Since 2014, he had been fighting for his homeland in the 8th Special Operations Regiment of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 2019, he sustained a severe injury that required the amputation of part of his right leg. He underwent rehabilitation, got a prosthetic leg, and returned to service. In 2020, he took first place in the "Games of Heroes" competition in Kharkiv, and in 2023, he won the same competition in Lviv. During the full-scale war, he was a scout and a senior instructor in the instructor group of the training center. During his service, the special forces soldier was awarded numerous honors, including the Orders of Courage of the III and II degrees, "For Military Service to Ukraine," "For Shed Blood in the Battles for Ukraine," "For Exemplary Service" of the III and II degrees, "I Go on You" of the I degree, "For Military Valor," "Freedom and Courage," "For the Defense of the Homeland," "Participant of the Anti-Terrorist Operation," "Participant of the Joint Forces Operation," "For the Defense of Mariinka," the award weapon "Glock 17" from the commander of the Southern Operational Command, the Order of the Cossack Intercession, and the honorary award "For Merits to Vinnytsia Oblast." "My son is my Hero. I was very proud, I am proud, and I will be proud of my son. He was a role model of heroism, courage, honesty, loyalty, and valor," said Ruslan Kernychnyi. The warrior was buried in his native village. He is survived by his parents and brother. Hennadii Kernychnyi was posthumously awarded the title of "Hero of Ukraine" with the Order of the Gold Star.