Stepan Ya. Ilyk (Fortuna)

Sergeant Stepan Ilik (call sign Fortune) was killed while carrying out a combat mission on May 25, 2023 near the village of Dibrova in the Luhansk region. The defender was 27 years old. Stepan was born in the village of Lany-Sokolivski in the Lviv region. After graduating from the Podorozhne school, he received vocational education at the Vinnytsia Medical College. He lived and worked abroad. Stepan's path as a warrior began during the ATO. After the start of the full-scale invasion, he returned to Ukraine and went to defend the Motherland as part of the 67th Separate Mechanized Brigade. He held the position of commander of a combat vehicle - commander of the 3rd mechanized platoon of the 1st mechanized platoon of the 2nd mechanized company of the 2nd mechanized battalion. He was awarded the badge "For Excellence in Military Service", and posthumously - the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky of the III degree. "The war took from us a wonderful person. A worthy and courageous man. Honest and fair. A faithful son of Ukraine!" said Yana, an acquaintance of the deceased. The defender was buried in his native village. Stepan is survived by his mother, grandmother, brother and sister.