Ruslan V. Hrama (Hryfon)

Ruslan Volodymyrovych Hrama (call sign Gryphon) was born on October 5, 1988, in the city of Khrystynivka, Cherkasy region. In 2008, he joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine for mandatory military service. After his military service, he worked in the police and moved to Kyiv. Since 2016, he held the position of a police officer in the special police patrol unit "Kyiv" of the Main Department of the National Police. Since 2016, he actively participated in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) and the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) in Donetsk, defending our country against the enemy. The mother of the fallen hero recalls that Ruslan was never afraid of anything since childhood, always kind, proactive, and able to support others in difficult times: "From a young age, Ruslan supported those around him, was a sincere boy, did not shy away from work, and helped me with household chores. He was a true older brother who always protected the younger one. I was very glad that my sons were so close. When Ruslan grew up and dreamed of serving and joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine, I supported him. In 2009, he transitioned to what was then still the police, and his service in law enforcement began. Since 2016, my son started going on rotations to Donetsk to defend the country. He considered it his duty to protect the state. When he came home, he would tell us about the harsh realities of war: how they were shelled by terrorists, how he pulled wounded comrades from the battlefield. On the front lines, he made many true friends. According to the deputy commander of the assault platoon of the rapid response company of the special police patrol unit "Kyiv," a comrade of the law enforcement officer with the call sign Beaver, Ruslan was a very sincere and brave person: "I met Ruslan about a year ago during a rotation while defending the Donetsk region. He quickly integrated into the team due to his sincerity and simplicity. He never showed weakness, only courage and readiness for any combat tasks. He was someone you could rely on, had a great sense of humor, and was a professional fighter. Ruslan dreamed of getting married, starting a family, and having children. Unfortunately, this dream never came true... We lost a comrade, a friend, a true Cossack, and a warrior...". At the beginning of spring 2023, Ruslan once again went on rotation to the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region. The police traveled to their destination via the "road of death" — the name given to the last road leading to the city. On the way, their vehicle came under enemy fire, one tire was punctured, and the guys had to drive literally on three wheels, but they successfully reached their destination. "The road was difficult; we came under fire several times. The day after our arrival, we went to the combat position; the enemy was 30 meters away from us. A fight immediately began, and each of us faced it with dignity. Everyone knew what to do, worked cohesively as a team, and repelled the enemies. At one moment, a sniper's bullet hit Ruslan, and this injury turned out to be incompatible with life... We pulled his body from under fire," recalls that difficult day, Ruslan's comrade Gryphon, a tactical medic with the call sign Hedgehog. Ruslan Hrama died on March 18, 2023, in battles for the city of Bakhmut in Donetsk. Ruslan's mother shares that after her son's death, his comrades called her every day to thank her for raising such a son, for the lives he saved, for being a reliable friend and true warrior. "He died with a weapon in his hands, like a true warrior and hero. This is a heavy and irreparable loss. We miss our Gryphon very much," Ruslan's comrades say with sorrow. For personal courage and selfless actions displayed in defense of the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and for loyalty to the military oath, police officer Hrama Ruslan Volodymyrovych was posthumously awarded the "Defender of the Fatherland" medal.