Ivan A. Sotnyk (Chekist)

Born on August 18, 1987, in the village of Hrudky, Kamen-Kashirskyi district, Volyn region. Completed 9 grades of general education school, military lyceum, and in 2009 graduated from the National Law Academy of Ukraine named after Yaroslav the Wise (now - Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, Kharkiv). Lived in the city of Lutsk, Volyn region. Until May 2014, he worked in the state executive service of the Volyn region: in the department of the state executive service of the Lutsk district justice department, his last position was head of the state executive service department of the Rozhyshche district justice department (city of Rozhyshche, Volyn region). In May 2014, he voluntarily joined the volunteer battalion of territorial defense "Donbas." He underwent training at the National Guard of Ukraine training center in the village of Novi Petrivtsi, Vyshhorod district, Kyiv region. Since 2014, he participated in the anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine. He served as commander of the 3rd section of the 1st platoon of special forces of the 2nd special forces company of the special forces battalion (reserve battalion) "Donbas" of the Eastern Operational Command of the National Guard of Ukraine (military unit 3057). Call sign "Chekist." He participated in battles for the city of Debaltseve and for the village of Shyrokyne in the Novoazovsk (now Volnovakha) district of Donetsk region. On May 2, 2015, while performing a service-combat task in the area of the company stronghold No. 4017, located on the southwestern outskirts of the village of Shyrokyne, as a result of a shot from a separatist sniper rifle, junior sergeant Sotnik received a gunshot wound to the frontal-parietal area with a blow, crushing of the frontal-temporal-parietal area, and the trunk of the brain. He was taken to the emergency hospital in the city of Mariupol, Donetsk region, where he died from his injuries during the second operation. On May 6, 2015, he was buried in the cemetery of his native village of Hrudky.