Mykhailo V. Ishchuk (Shelbi)

22-year-old soldier Mykhailo Ishchuk (call sign Shelby) was killed on March 24, 2022, in the battle for the city of Mariupol in Donetsk region. The defender received a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Mykhailo was born in the village of Targan in Kyiv Oblast. He graduated from school and then obtained the profession of a locksmith-tractor driver at a vocational college. In his spare time, he played football and went fishing. In the fall of 2019, he was drafted for mandatory military service, which he completed in the city of Odesa. In February 2020, he signed a contract with the separate special forces unit of the National Guard of Ukraine "Azov." He held the position of grenade launcher. From the first days of the full-scale invasion, he defended the city of Mariupol alongside his comrades against the occupiers. "Mykhailo is a hero of our time. He embodied willpower, spirit, and bravery. We will always remember him. Heroes do not die!" stated the Volodymyr community. Mykhailo was buried in his native village. He is survived by his mother and sister. Posthumously, the defender was awarded the Order of Courage III degree.