Vitalii R. Sapylo

Vitaliy Romanovych Sapilo was born on September 3, 2000, in the village of Sokilnyky, Pustomytys'kyi district, Lviv region. From 2006 to 2017, he studied at Lviv Secondary School No. 48, as well as at Lviv Specialized Children's and Youth Olympic Reserve School No. 4. He was a key player (defender) for the children's team of FC "Karpaty." He was invited to Donetsk's "Shakhtar," but soon Vitaliy declined a career in professional football due to a back injury. In 2017, he entered the National Academy of Land Forces named after Hetman Petro Sahaidachnyi, studying at the Faculty of Combat Application of Troops. He completed his studies in June 2021, after which he was appointed commander of a tank platoon in the 14th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Prince Roman the Great. Since February 24, 2022, following Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine, he participated in battles against Russian occupiers. He was involved in the battles for Kyiv. On February 25, 2022, the tank crew commanded by Lieutenant Vitaliy Sapilo engaged in combat with superior enemy forces in the area of the village of Termakhivka, Vyshhorod district, Kyiv region. During the battle, which lasted over 2 hours, the tank crews destroyed up to three dozen units of enemy equipment. To support the offensive, the enemy deployed assault aviation. During an enemy airstrike, a missile from a Russian Su-25 attack aircraft hit the tank in which Vitaliy Sapilo was located, resulting in injuries that were incompatible with life for the tank commander, Vitaliy Sapilo. He was buried on February 28, 2022, in the cemetery of the village of Sokilnyky, Lviv district, Lviv region. He is survived by his parents, younger brother, and grandparents. For his personal bravery and selfless actions in defending the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and for his loyalty to military duty, Vitaliy Romanovych Sapilo was posthumously awarded the title of "Hero of Ukraine" with the Order of the Golden Star.