Mykola S. Kurylchyk

Kurylchyk Mykola Serhiyovych was born on June 30, 1997, in the town of Klesiv, Sarny district, Rivne region. He was raised only by his mother in a large family with five children. He studied at the Klesiv Secondary School of I-III degrees. After finishing the 11th grade, he took a year off and then went to study as a forester-ranger at the Rokytne College. Mykola's father, Serhiy Kurylchyk, abandoned the family and later fought as part of the terrorist formations of the DPR. It is known that he was eliminated during the Anti-Terrorist Operation. Since the father left the family, Mykola took on all the male work. Despite his young age, the young man quite successfully coped with his duties, was obedient and disciplined. His sister recalls that he loved children very much and dreamed of having his own family. Mykola first joined the army in 2018 by conscription. His place of service was Sloviansk, where he remained until demobilization. After returning home, the warrior received the status of a participant in hostilities. After being discharged from the army, Mykola Kurylchyk worked as a laborer on construction sites for a year, after which he decided to return to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. On March 25, 2021, Mykola signed a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine and joined the ranks of the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade, taking the position of a soldier-anti-aircraft gunner. After signing the contract, the warrior first underwent training at the Yavoriv training ground, after which he immediately went east, to the city of Popasna, where he remained until the beginning of the full-scale invasion. With the beginning of the Russian invasion in 2022, the soldier was among the first to take the blow. On March 4, 2022, Mykola received a shrapnel wound and was able to return home for a short time. Relatives recall that when he was here, he was a completely different Kolya. His gaze was sad, he was silent, and he was drawn to the East. He said, "My guys are waiting for me." The warrior died on April 23, 2022, in the area of the village of Katerynivka, Luhansk region, while repelling the enemy's assault. Mykola left behind a lonely mother, a brother, three sisters, and a chosen one. Relatives recall that the warrior very much wanted to have a real family: a wife and children. He met his girlfriend through the internet, and they were to get married after the victory, but it was not meant to be.