Kateryna V. Stupnytska

Stepnitska Kateryna Viktorivna was born on April 11, 1996, in the village of Zaliznytsia, Rivne region. She graduated from Dubno Medical College. Her first place of work was a paramedic and midwife station in the village of Danychiv, Rivne region. Later, the girl signed a contract for military service. Since 2014, she has repeatedly saved the lives of defenders of Ukraine on the front lines. Since 2016, Sergeant Kateryna Stepnitska served as a sanitary instructor at the medical point of the 3rd mechanized battalion of the 14th separate mechanized brigade in the city of Volodymyr, Volyn region. She was on the front lines in the Joint Forces Operation zone several times, having short leaves. In September 2021, she extended her contract for another year. On March 10, 2022, heavy fighting continued for the liberation of the settlement of Makariv in the Kyiv region, which, if captured, would allow the enemy to encircle Kyiv from the west. Enemy artillery did not cease for a moment, but this did not stop the Ukrainian soldiers; they relentlessly destroyed the occupiers — enemy vehicles ignited one after another from accurate shots. The enemy was pushed further and further back, liberating this important settlement. During the battle, the crew of the tank commander of the 1st company was knocked out. The girl, without hesitation, rushed to the wounded. Under heavy enemy fire, she managed to evacuate everyone — both the commander and the crew members. Kateryna promptly provided first aid and took the tankers for further evacuation to a safe place. She immediately returned to her unit. As soon as there was a minimal hope for at least half an hour of calm in the evening, the occupiers launched a series of rocket and bomb strikes around the perimeter. A direct hit on the building that served as a medical headquarters left Kateryna no chance of survival. She was bid farewell on March 11, 2022, in the city of Korets, Rivne region. On March 12, 2022, she was buried in her native village of Zaliznytsia, Rivne region.