Roman S. Furyk

Behind the back of the retired Ministry of Internal Affairs officer Roman Stepanovych Furik was a whole life — conscript military service, work at a factory, which he combined with part-time studies at the historical faculty of Chernivtsi National University, then — service in the internal affairs bodies, inspection of juvenile affairs, units of the criminal investigation department and the Ivano-Frankivsk UBOZ, dozens of personally neutralized offenders, a knife wound he received in a confrontation with an armed criminal. And also — a passion for sports: a black belt in karate, the title of national category judge in motorcycle sports. After retiring in 2006 from the position of an operative officer of the Kolomyia UBOZ, he told friends that after 20 years of work in the police, the most important thing for him was that his conscience was clear and he could sleep peacefully at night. With the beginning of the Revolution of Dignity, Roman Stepanovych joined the ranks of the EuroMaidan self-defense, and during one of the barricade clashes, he was injured in the face. Then he was one of the first to volunteer to defend his homeland. Due to his advanced age, he was enlisted in the BPSMOP "Peacekeeper," from where he was sent to the reserve battalion of the National Guard of Ukraine, which was later named after the fallen Hero of Ukraine General Kulchytsky. It was as part of this battalion that Roman Stepanovych fought near Sloviansk and Debaltseve, despite his rank, performing the functions of a regular soldier. In October 2014, in his native Kolomyia during a short vacation, he was awarded a prize from the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine — a personalized watch. Roman was also awarded the badge of the National Guard "For Courageous Service." He died during the third rotation to the ATO area, just a month short of his 52nd birthday. Thousands of Kolomyians with candles and flags welcomed the cortege with the body of the deceased, and then participated in the requiem service held at the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of Christ and in the burial ceremony.