Viacheslav A. Halva (Kuzmych)

A career military officer in the third generation. Graduated from the Kyiv Higher General Military Command School named after Frunze. He began his military career in 1994, underwent training in France, and participated in UN peacekeeping operations. In 2010, he was discharged from the Armed Forces of Ukraine and engaged in instructional activities for training special forces specialists. Since 2013, he has been a consultant-developer in the development and testing group (GRT "Kuzmych") of the military store network "Prof1group" (P1G-TAC®). Dmytro Khutornyi, a journalist for the information agency "Journalists Against Corruption," certified auditor of Ukraine: "FOUR YEARS OF MEMORY — FOUR YEARS OF WAR. On August 26, 2018, it will be four years since the tragic death of Ukrainian military officer, Colonel of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine in retirement, instructor for training special forces specialists, combat training instructor of the Ministry of Internal Affairs battalion "Azov," Vyacheslav Halva, call sign Kuzmych. Although Vyacheslav was born in the Bezrichna stanitsa of the Olovyanninsky district of the Chita region of Russia in a military family, which later became a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, his school years were spent in Cherkasy. Recently, before his death, Vyacheslav lived in Kyiv. Kuzmych's military career began in 1994 with the graduation from the Kyiv Higher General Military Command School and his appointment as commander of the reconnaissance group of the special forces company of the Carpathian Military District. After 2 years, Kuzmych was transferred to the special forces detachment of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, where he served in positions from group commander to deputy commander of the military unit for combat training. He headed the instructors' department. Kuzmych never rested on his laurels and always sought to improve his combat and tactical skills. Evidence of this is his participation in special training programs and courses, including: — special training in a counter-terrorism group under the FBI program in the USA; — training at the "Commando" training center (France) under the program "Autonomous Actions in the Enemy's Rear" (2002); — training at the Mine Clearance Center and obtaining the status of a second-level mine clearance group commander (Kamianets-Podilskyi); — survival course in mountainous-forest areas and at sea under the program of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (Sudak); — emergency medical assistance course during emergencies, obtaining the status of a paramedic instructor (Disaster Medicine Center in Kyiv); — special sniper training course under the guidance of an instructor from the British SAS special unit "Sniper Actions in a Counter-Terrorism Operation in Urban Conditions." He participated multiple times in international special training competitions (in Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Italy). In 2000–2001, 2002–2003, he served in the Republic of Sierra Leone as part of UN peacekeeping forces. Kuzmych directly participated in the operation to free the well-known Ukrainian ship "Faina" with its crew and military cargo, which was captured by Somali pirates. After being discharged from the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2010, he worked as a combat training and krav maga instructor, training personal security staff. In 2013, he became a staff consultant-developer for "Prof1group" (P1G-TAC® military store network), leading GRT "Kuzmych," which was engaged in the development and testing of modern military equipment. Kuzmych could not remain aloof from the war that came to Ukraine from the Russian Federation. During the war in Eastern Ukraine, Kuzmych volunteered to go to the front, where he applied his vast experience gained during military service, teaching volunteer fighters from various units through an accelerated, self-developed intensive 4-day course, which received positive feedback from both the volunteers and career military personnel. He trained fighters of the "Azov" battalion, with whom he participated in many combat operations. Despite his past ranks, achievements, and awards, he was enlisted as a private in the police to the 1st section of the 1st platoon of the 1st company of the special police battalion under the Donetsk Ministry of Internal Affairs. After it became known that Kuzmych was a combat officer with instructional skills and experience, he began to share his knowledge, training volunteers and career military personnel in Shyrokyne, Ilovaisk, and Donetsk airport. At the end of August 2014, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, border guards, and the "Azov" and "Dnipro-1" battalions stopped the advance of Russian troops on Mariupol. According to other sources, Kuzmych was to head a special training center for military personnel near Kyiv. On August 25, 2014, the reconnaissance unit of the "Azov" battalion, with which Kuzmych was, blew up an enemy tank and was the first to enter Novoazovsk. The tragic death of Kuzmych has two versions. The first: on the morning of August 26, 2014, Vyacheslav was called to the headquarters in Urzuf, and on the way, his car was blown up by an anti-tank mine. According to another version, Kuzmych was at the military unit's location receiving ammunition that had been "lost" by the enemy during the retreat — two jeeps loaded with combat equipment. When he picked up one of the grenades, an explosion occurred, resulting in Vyacheslav Halva's death, having only time to cover the grenade with his body, which saved many of his comrades. The military prosecutor's office initiated an investigation into the circumstances of Kuzmych's death. On August 28, 2014, a farewell ceremony for the legendary soldier took place at the Officers' House in Kyiv, and Kuzmych was buried with appropriate military honors at the Berkovetske cemetery. On August 26, 2015, on the first anniversary of Kuzmych's death, a special tactical training named after Vyacheslav Halva took place in Kyiv region. During the training, practical exercises were conducted in tactical-fire training, hand-to-hand combat, tactical medicine, reconnaissance, camouflage, as well as lectures on the psychological aspects of combat operations and other areas. The event was organized by the fund of Vyacheslav's wife — Elina Halva. Following this established tradition, such tactical training is now held annually with the support of sponsors, comrades, and the efforts of his wife Elina. On August 19, 2018, the fourth such tactical training took place, where military personnel and all interested could participate in mastering disciplines such as the basics of working with firearms, sniper skills, basic tactical medicine, personal security tactics, basics of working with cold weapons, and mine-explosive affairs. The memory of Kuzmych continues to this day! On May 19, 2015, a memorial plaque in memory of Colonel Vyacheslav Halva was solemnly unveiled at the Cherkasy Collegium "Berehynia," where he studied from 1980 to 1990. On February 22, 2016, in Cherkasy, Rudnev Street was renamed Vyacheslav Halva Street. On March 23, 2016, students of the Cherkasy Young Sailors Club honored the memory of the legendary compatriot by establishing an honor guard at the memorial plaque in the "Berehynia" collegium. In April 2016, a glory corner dedicated to the legendary Kuzmych appeared in the combat training room of the extracurricular educational institution "Young Sailors Club." The exhibition included personal belongings of Vyacheslav Halva, elements of equipment, military gear, etc. A boat named "Kuzmych" was named in honor of Vyacheslav Halva, a training vessel of the Cherkasy Young Sailors Club. In 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018, special tactical training sessions in memory of Vyacheslav Halva were held. And today, on the morning of August 26, 2018, a memorial service was held at the Berkovetske cemetery in memory of Vyacheslav Halva (Kuzmych). Heroes like Vyacheslav Halva and their deeds continue to live among us as long as the memory of them lives on. August 26, 2018.