Vitalii V. Ivko (Voron)

Soldier Vitaliy Ivko (call sign Raven) was killed on May 7, 2022, in the Kyiv military hospital. On April 21, while carrying out a combat mission near the village of Brazhkivka in the Kharkiv region, the fighter came under enemy fire and suffered severe injuries. Doctors fought for his life, but the defender's heart could not withstand. He was 46 years old. Vitaliy was born in the village of Bazavluchok, Dnipropetrovsk region. He graduated from a general education school. He obtained the profession of a tractor driver. He lived in Dnipro. He worked as a security guard at the Dnipro Metallurgical Plant. He loved fishing. At home, he bred fish and canaries. Since 2014, he has been participating in the ATO in Donbas as part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He served in the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade "Kholodny Yar". He took part in the battles for the Donetsk airport, Pisky, Vodiane, and Avdiivka. He received injuries and concussions. Then he served under contract. On the first day of the full-scale war, on February 24, 2022, Vitaliy returned to the ranks of his native 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade and again took up the defense of Ukraine from Russian invaders. He held the position of a machine gunner. He defended the Sumy, Donetsk, and Kharkiv regions. "My beloved was courageous, fair, and always came to the aid of people. He never feared anything. He is a hero of the Donetsk airport, a 'cyborg', who defended the Donetsk airport in 2014-2015. On the very first day of the war, he packed a backpack and went to his unit, saying: 'Who, if not us? I'm going to defend our native Ukraine. I'm going to defend you.' He is brave, he is a Hero. My beloved is always in my heart. I thank him for his life. I am very proud that I am the wife of a Hero," said Svitlana Ivko. The hero was buried in the village of Sofiyivka, Dnipropetrovsk region. Vitaliy is survived by his mother, wife, and son. The defender was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage of the III degree.