Vitalii P. Petakh

Soldier Vitaliy Petakh was killed on March 17, 2024, during a hostile mortar shelling near the city of Krasnohorivka in the Donetsk region. He was 46 years old. Vitaliy was born in the village of Kopynivtsi in the Zakarpattia region, in a large family. His parents worked a lot and in various jobs, but it was difficult to raise three children, so Vitaliy was sent to study at the Mukachevo boarding school. Later, he obtained the profession of a carpenter-woodworker at a vocational school. He worked in his profession at the Mukachevo furniture plant. At the age of 18, he was drafted into the Armed Forces of Ukraine, serving in a tank regiment in Chernivtsi. After demobilization, he returned to the furniture plant. In September 2018, he started working at the first branch of "Nova Poshta" in Mukachevo. He did not have his own family, lived alone, but had very warm relationships with his relatives. On weekends, he would visit his sister and brother, helping with household chores and playing with the children. He loved sports, engaged in athletics, and trained at stadiums. He adored watching and playing football. "Vitaliy worked with us for a very long time. He was a good employee, showing himself at his best. He was responsible in his work and very productive. Vitaliy was calm, serious, and did not speak empty words. He was sociable and found a common language with people. Although he did not let people get too close," his colleagues from "Nova Poshta" noted. In the fall of 2023, Vitaliy was mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine. After two months of training, he joined the Separate Presidential Brigade named after Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytskyi and went to the Donetsk direction. He held the position of a rifleman. "The guy was diligent, purposeful, and his teachers praised him. At work, he was valued as a specialist. He was capable of work and disciplined in character, calm, and honest. Colleagues valued him because he was a diligent worker and a pleasant person to communicate with. He greatly valued his new job," his sister Olha Kiral said. Vitaliy was buried in his native village. He is survived by his relatives, friends, and comrades-in-arms.