Vladyslav Yu. Melnyk (Mielia)

Lieutenant Vladislav Melnyk (call sign Melya) was killed on March 12, 2022, in a battle with the occupiers near the village of Zachativka in the Donetsk region. On February 18, the officer turned 22 years old. Vladislav was born in the village of Danilivka in the Luhansk region. Since childhood, he dreamed of being a military man and purposefully worked towards that goal. He entered the Military Academy in Odesa, specializing in "Management of Marine Corps Unit Actions," which he graduated from in 2021, and received the long-awaited officer rank. After graduation, the young officer began military service in Mariupol, Donetsk region. He commanded a platoon in the 503rd Separate Battalion of the Marine Corps of the Naval Forces. It seemed that his dreams had come true. Vladislav saw himself only in military uniform and worked very hard in that direction. From the first days of the invasion, together with his comrades, the officer bravely defended Donetsk, but he was not destined to live to see victory. "Vlad and I are cousins. He was extremely close to me, so I never say 'cousin'; we were family! It's hard to describe in words how wonderful he was. A guy with an open heart and an incredibly sincere smile, friendly and well-mannered. Vlad was a young man who loved his homeland above all. He defended all of us and our future, but he couldn't save himself for us. Despite the time that has passed, I still wait for his call and message. Vlad performed a true feat, forever engraving his name in the pages of Ukraine's Victory book, and I will do everything to ensure that his deed and his page are always remembered in the hearts of people," said Veronika Harkusha. The marine was buried at the Krasnopil Cemetery in Dnipro. Vladislav is survived by his parents, relatives, friends, and comrades. Posthumously, Lieutenant Vladislav Melnyk was awarded the Order of Courage of the III degree.