Mykola I. Tkachuk

Tkachuk Mykola Mykolaiovych was born on May 21, 1979, in the town of Liublinets, Volyn region. He studied at the Zoovetinary Technical School (now the Rozhyshche Professional College of the Lviv National University of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology named after S. Z. Gzhytskyi). However, he did not see himself in this profession. After working as a veterinarian for several months, he resigned and went to the army a year later. He was twice part of a peacekeeping mission in Iraq, served in the 14th Separate Mechanized Brigade, and then in the air defense missile regiment. A few years ago, he signed a contract with the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. He served in the border service unit "Korytnytsya," and later continued at the Parkhomenko border outpost, taking the position of the head of the canine service. Starting from 2015, he, along with his comrades-in-arms, defended the eastern borders of our country. From August 2021, he served in the Novotroitske border rapid response commando. When the full-scale war began, he participated in the evacuation of the civilian population, transporting people from Volnovakha and other settlements. During the performance of his duties, he repeatedly found himself in difficult situations, from which he emerged unharmed. On March 15, 2022, at 1:00 am, the serviceman, as part of a consolidated unit of the Novotroitske border rapid response commando, together with his comrades-in-arms, moved to carry out combat missions in the village of Solodke, Donetsk region. The personnel of the unit found themselves surrounded near the village of Olhinka. Trying to break out of the encirclement, Mykola Tkachuk decided to go on a reconnaissance mission with a comrade, but the defenders came under artillery fire, as a result of which they were killed. Due to the occupation of the territory, the body of the border guard could not be taken from the battlefield. Only on March 27, 2022, the body of Master Sergeant Mykola Tkachuk was evacuated from the scene of the fighting by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. For personal courage and selfless actions displayed in the defense of the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, loyalty to the military oath, Master Sergeant Mykola Mykolaiovych Tkachuk was awarded the Order of Courage, Second Degree (posthumously).