Vitalii O. Kozka (Ahronom)

Military serviceman Vitaliy Kozka (call sign Agronom) was killed on April 7, 2022, in a battle with Russian occupiers near the town of Vuhledar in Donetsk region. An enemy tank shell hit the trench where the soldier was located. He was 52 years old at the time of his death. Vitaliy was born in the village of Kotlyareve, Mykolaiv region. He graduated from Mykolaiv National Agrarian University and worked in his field, dedicating his entire life to agriculture. He was married and lived with his family in the village of Zarichne. In recent years, he was working on starting his own business and dreamed of working with drones. During the full-scale Russian invasion, he took up arms to defend his homeland, fighting in the ranks of the 53rd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Prince Volodymyr Monomakh. "Dad was very selfless. In 2015, he was mobilized and fought in the ATO near Debaltseve, and since then he was ready to defend the country to the last drop of blood. Unfortunately, that's how it turned out… He tried to spend as much time as possible with his family and granddaughters and simply enjoyed being a grandfather," said the daughter of the fallen, Anastasia. The defender was buried at Balabanivske Cemetery in Mykolaiv. Vitaliy is survived by his wife, son, daughter, and two granddaughters. Posthumously, Sergeant Vitaliy Kozka was awarded the Order of Courage, III degree.