Yevhenii O. Kulyk (Lys)

23-year-old warrior Yevhen Kulyk (call sign Fox) was killed on January 12, 2023, while repelling an enemy assault near the village of Klishchiyivka in the Donetsk region. He received fatal injuries as a result of an enemy mine hitting the trench from which he was firing a heavy machine gun at the enemy. Comrades recall that Yevhen encouraged everyone before the last sortie and during that assault. The soldier was from the city of Zinkiv, Poltava region. He completed 9 grades of a city school. Then he obtained the profession of an electrician at the Zinkiv vocational school. Then his military career began. He was interested in history and respected his belonging to the Ukrainian people. In 2019-2022, Yevhen served in the ranks of the French Foreign Legion. He was awarded three orders and had the rank of corporal. He successfully participated in missions in the Caribbean in 2020 and in Mali in 2022. For this, he also received awards. During the full-scale invasion, the man returned to his homeland and stood up for its defense. He served in the 3rd separate assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He was the commander of an anti-tank missile systems unit. "He was born on the day of an eclipse, which happens once every 300 years. Even then, I thought he would be an extraordinary and famous person. Zhenya grew up very sociable, had many friends. From an early age, he loved weapons and even then he had various air guns. At home, everything was shot through: doors, bathrooms, all buckets. He began his military path at the age of 18. He served in the 95th Airborne Division, then went to Poland, and from there, as he told us, his parents, "for a weekend in Paris." Then, overcoming an extremely difficult selection, he joined the ranks of the French Foreign Legion. Even there, in another country, with extremely difficult tasks, Ukrainian songs that he sang with a comrade helped him cope. When the full-scale invasion began, Zhenya decided to come to Ukraine. In response to our request not to go to war, he asked the question: "And how will I then, coming from France, look into the eyes of the mothers whose sons was killed in the war?". "The worse, the better", "No one but us", "I love my job" - he said these words with confidence in his eyes and faith. He was afraid of nothing except running out of ammunition. We asked him: "Zhenya, will you return to France after the war?". He replied: "No, I want our country to be rebuilt. I'm needed here," said the mother of the fallen soldier Yulia. "Fox is a unique military man who started his path in the airborne assault troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Then he continued his path in the French Legion, and when the war began, he decided to return and fight for Ukraine as part of the Centuria unit. An excellent sniper and commander, a good anti-tank soldier and infantryman. But, as it turned out, the best machine gunner who tore the enemy apart until his last breath," added comrades from the Centuria unit. The warrior was buried on the Alley of Heroes of the central cemetery in his hometown. Yevhen is survived by his parents, grandparents, sisters, and other relatives, friends, and comrades. Posthumously, soldier Yevhen Kulyk was awarded the Order of Courage of the III degree.