Vladyslav O. Telytsia (Samurai)

Lieutenant Vladyslav Telitsya (call sign Samurai) was killed in action on March 12, 2022, during an enemy mortar attack near the village of Huta-Mezhihirs'ka in Kyiv region. The warrior was 25 years old. Vladyslav was born in the village of Berezove in Zaporizhzhia region. After graduating from high school, he enrolled in Mariupol Higher Professional School, where he obtained the specialties of a repair fitter and a manual arc welder. During his military service, he enrolled in the Ivan Kozhedub Kharkiv National Air Force University. After graduating in 2021, he received the rank of lieutenant. He was an air defense specialist. He was assigned to serve in the 4th operational brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine. He held the position of commander of the 1st anti-aircraft artillery platoon of the 1st anti-aircraft artillery battery of the anti-aircraft missile artillery division. He was fond of Japanese culture, hence the call sign Samurai. He lived in Bucha, Kyiv region. The full-scale war caught the officer in Hostomel. He was among the warriors who heroically defended the Antonov airport. Together with the artillery, they did not allow the enemy to land their helicopters at the airfield. "Vlad has been active since childhood, restless, life around him has always been bustling. He had many friends, was selfless in friendship. He was fond of sports, twice participated in the Kharkiv marathon over 10 kilometers, loved to play football, supported Donetsk "Shakhtar", played for the district football team, was a goalkeeper," said his mother Tamara Valentynivna. The defender was buried in the city of Vyshneve, Kyiv region. Vladyslav is survived by his mother and brother. Knowing her son's fondness for Japanese culture, his mother embroidered a stylized Japanese picture and gave it to him during their last meeting before the full-scale invasion. The picture survived the Bucha occupation, and later Vladyslav's comrades-in-arms returned it to Tamara Valentynivna. Posthumously, the officer was awarded the Order "For Courage" III degree.