Volodymyr T. Pytak

Born on February 7, 1979, in the village of Vyshnivchik, Terebovlia district, Ternopil region. In 1996, he graduated from the general education school in the village of Darakhiv, Terebovlia district. In the early 2000s, he emigrated to the USA, but in March 2014, he returned to Ukraine. On August 2, 2014, he was mobilized by the Terebovlia district military commissariat into the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He served in the 128th separate mountain infantry brigade of the Transcarpathian region of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (military unit A1556, city of Mukacheve, Transcarpathian region). From the autumn of 2014, he participated in the Anti-Terrorist Operation in eastern Ukraine. On January 25, 2015, soldier Pyatak was killed in battle for the stronghold "Valera" (height 307.5) near the village of Sanzharivka in the Artemivsk (now Bakhmut) district of Donetsk region during the fighting for the city of Debaltseve. As a result of the battle, Ukrainian troops repelled the attack of Russian-terrorist groups on the stronghold and destroyed two T-64 tanks, one T-72 tank, and a significant number of enemy personnel. They also managed to capture the driver-mechanic of one of the destroyed tanks. Unfortunately, in this battle, 7 defenders of the "Valera" stronghold were killed. On January 31, 2015, he was buried in the cemetery of the village of Darakhiv, Terebovlia district. On October 19, 2015, a memorial plaque was installed in the village of Darakhiv, Terebovlia district, on the facade of the general education school (Sunny Street, 49), where Volodymyr Pyatak studied.