Viktor Ya. Romaniuk (Kelt)

Navigator Viktor Romanyuk (call sign Kelt) was killed on March 13, 2022, near the town of Popasna in the Luhansk region during an artillery shelling. The defender was 50 years old. Viktor was born in the town of Brody in the Lviv region. After school, he went straight to work. He worked as a locksmith repairing technological installations at the enterprise "Ukrtransnafta." In February 2020, he enlisted for contract service in the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after King Daniel. He carried out combat missions in the area of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO). During his service, he was awarded the honorary badge "For Exemplary Military Service" of the III degree and the medal "For Military Service to Ukraine." "Throughout his service, he never asked for any assistance or privileges; he purchased all his equipment at his own expense, spent a long time in the combat zone without rotation (the last time for 9 months), was concussed, and immediately after being discharged from the hospital, he was sent back to the front," said his wife Oksana. "Yes, our dad did not have a super high military rank, but he consciously went to defend Ukraine! He was a patriot all his life... He taught us to love Ukraine, the Ukrainian language, history, and never feared to speak openly about it. Dad was an athlete and ranked among the best tennis players in Ukraine. From him, we heard the most Ukrainian songs, patriotic jokes, sayings, and slogans... He enthusiastically bought us scout uniforms and all the gear... After spending a year continuously at the front, he returned to the war a week after his concussion..." wrote his daughter Olena Fedornak. With the onset of the full-scale invasion, Kelt defended Donbas from the advance of Russian occupiers. Unfortunately, the defender was killed in the Luhansk region. His comrades were unable to retrieve Viktor's body from the battlefield. Later, the occupiers spread photos of the soldier's body and documents online. They also noted that they buried him in the temporarily occupied Luhansk region. At home, Viktor was awaited by his mother, wife, and three children. Posthumously, soldier Viktor Romanyuk was awarded the Order of "For Courage" of the III degree.