Oleksandr M. Vashuk

Vashchuk Oleksandr Mykolaiovych was born on December 21, 1980, in the city of Hlukhiv, Sumy region. He studied at Hlukhiv General Education School I-III degrees No. 4. In 1999, he graduated from Hlukhiv Vocational Technical School No. 31. He served in one of the military units stationed in Hlukhiv. In 2005, he was transferred to the State Border Guard Service. He held the position of first-category canine inspector. During his military service, Senior Master Sergeant Vashchuk Oleksandr Mykolaiovych proved himself to be a dedicated serviceman to the Ukrainian people, military duty, and the task of guarding the state border. He demonstrated initiative, perseverance, high organization, and discipline in service. He took responsibility for the training and readiness of his service dog named Arman. Showing vigilance, the service tandem repeatedly demonstrated results in operational and service activities—detecting narcotic substances and their precursors, as well as prohibited items and materials for transportation across the state border. On February 24, 2022, at the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the aggressor country into the territory of Ukraine, Oleksandr Vashchuk, as part of a joint detachment, was dispatched to protect and defend the city of Chernihiv, in the area of responsibility of the 105th Border Detachment. He acted confidently and bravely as part of one of the combined border units, performing service-combat tasks at checkpoints, while demonstrating personal initiative and courage. On March 21, 2022, at 1:30 AM, the movement of an enemy sabotage-reconnaissance group was detected on the outskirts of Chernihiv, which, under the cover of a machine gun crew, was attempting to enter the city. The group's goal was to destroy the checkpoint and the location of self-propelled artillery units. Fighting broke out in the streets of Chernihiv. Oleksandr, as part of a group of fighters from the combined detachment, went to cover the checkpoint. Shoulder to shoulder, the servicemen fought, repelling enemy attacks. During a fierce mortar shelling, Oleksandr Vashchuk sustained wounds incompatible with life. The enemy attack was repelled, and the enemy sabotage-reconnaissance group failed to capture the key combat position of the unit at the designated defense line. For personal bravery and selfless actions demonstrated in the defense of the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, as well as loyalty to the military oath, Senior Master Sergeant Vashchuk Oleksandr Mykolaiovych was posthumously awarded the Order of "For Courage" of the III degree.