Vasyl V. Kekish (Dok)

29-year-old Vasyl Kekish (call sign Doc) died on June 13, 2023, near the settlement of Bilohorivka in the Luhansk region. For about 3 weeks, he fought in heavy battles and assaults together with his comrades-in-arms. That morning, he returned from a night mission severely exhausted, as he had spent a lot of time without sleep. When he was going to the observation post, the occupiers used artillery. According to his comrades, it was something very powerful and new, as after the shelling, everything was burning for about a day, even the weapons were melting. After that, they tried to retrieve Vasyl's body and those of other soldiers for almost two months, but the enemy did not stop the shelling. Finally, on August 2, they succeeded. Four months later, a DNA examination confirmed the warrior's death. Vasyl was a native of Chervonohrad, Lviv region. He graduated from the local specialized school No. 8. Then he entered the Faculty of Dentistry at the I. Ya. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, which he graduated from in 2015. He worked as a dentist at the "SlaDent" clinic in Ternopil. He treated adults and children, and had a special approach to everyone. He loved spending time with friends, had an excellent memory, and loved telling funny stories. According to his friends, he was like a magnet that attracted people. He loved to cook and eat delicious food. With the start of the full-scale war, the man went to the military registration and enlistment office to defend his Homeland. On February 28, 2022, he joined the ranks of the 81st Separate Airmobile Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He was the senior combat medic of the company. He took part in battles in the Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions. In January 2023, Vasyl was awarded the "Steel Cross" distinction of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for his skillful command during the evacuation. "Vasylko was incredibly cheerful and full of life. He never lost heart, always supported everyone around him, and tried to help. He dreamed of a future in a free Ukraine and planned a wedding. He protected us very much and always said that he was doing well, even when he was wounded twice. During the ATO, he was a volunteer in the "TryzubDental" organization, helping warriors restore their smiles. His comrades-in-arms loved and respected my brother, knowing that they could go to the assault with him. They said: 'Vasyl was the one who looked for 1,500 reasons to evacuate the wounded from the battlefield, while others could find 1,500 reasons not to do it.' He was a very brave warrior and always cared for others. We still can't believe that Vasylko is gone, it's as if a piece of our heart has been torn out alive. We're still waiting for his call, a heart on a message, a surprise that he'll be home soon. We love him very much, but God decided to take him to Himself... Vasylko is forever in the ranks of the heavenly army, guarding the sky above us, he is a Hero of Ukraine! Eternal memory and honor to all who gave their lives for Ukraine! Glory to Ukraine!"