Vitalii I. Balatskyi (Hrim)

Chief Sergeant Vitaliy Balatskyi (call sign Thunder) was killed in action against the enemy on December 26, 2023, in the area of the village of Robotyne, Zaporizhzhia region. The defender's life was cut short by enemy mortar fire. In a month, on January 30, he would have turned 44 years old. Vitaliy was born and lived in Khmilnytskyi. He studied at the local specialized secondary school No. 1. Then he entered the Khmilnytskyi Vocational School No. 11, where he obtained the profession of an electrician-installer. In civilian life, he worked as an electrician. In his free time, he was engaged in sports and was interested in world history. However, he usually worked a lot to provide for his family and spent his free time with them. In 2023, the man was mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He served in the 117th Separate Mechanized Brigade. He was a grenade launcher commander. For his combat valor, the military was awarded the honorary badge of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine "Golden Cross". "Daddy is the best loving father, husband and son. Daddy, we miss you very much. We really miss your smile, support, hugs, warm words... We love you. You are the best! You will be forever in our hearts," wrote Anna Balatska. The hero was buried in the Alley of Glory of the cemetery in the Rakove microdistrict in Khmilnytskyi. Vitaliy is survived by his mother, wife and two daughters.