Vasyl V. Marmus (Muzykant)

30-year-old paratrooper Vasyl Marmus was killed on September 12, 2022, during the de-occupation of the Kharkiv region. Vasyl was born in the town of Chortkiv in the Ternopil region. His father, Volodymyr, was a dissident, a member of the legendary "Rosokhatska group," which hung Ukrainian flags in Chortkiv on the night of January 22, 1973. Vasyl graduated from Chortkiv School No. 5. He stu at the Ternopil National Pedagogical University named after Volodymyr Hnatiuk and the Prykarpattia Military Sports Lyceum. He was passionate about Ukrainian history and music. He participated in the Revolution of Dignity. Vasyl was one of the first to defend the tent city on the barricades during the police assault. When the full-scale war began, Vasyl went to war as a volunteer. He joined the ranks of the 80th Separate Air Assault Brigade. "My classmate, a true patriot of Ukraine, a Cossack, a talented musician, a father. Vasya was the first to introduce me to 'Rammstein' — his favorite band at the time; I didn't even know that heavy music existed and that it was so cool. It changed my whole life. Vasya, you were the best of us, and that's how you will remain forever," wrote Ihor Hevko. "Vasya, Vasylyka, how could this happen? You promised that everything would be fine! I remember our conversation near the military enlistment office in my city so well. We had so many plans back then. And what about the unfinished song? Without you, it won't have that spark. Who will now sing Ukrainian songs with such enthusiasm, play the accordion, bayan, trombone, harmonica, bandura, huh?" wrote his friend Marichka Melnyk. "I took my daughter in my arms and told her: 'Sofiyka, our dad has become an angel; now he is with God, up there, fighting the Russians alongside God, helping Him. Since he became an angel, he is very strong, much stronger than he was; he is watching over us, he sees you from heaven, you can talk to him, pray for him, he hears you,'" Vasyl's wife Natalia told their daughter about her father's death. They bid farewell to the defender in his hometown of Chortkiv. Vasyl is survived by his parents, wife, and daughter.