Yurii A. Pylnyk (Veles)

Senior soldier Yuriy Pylnyk (call sign Veles) was killed on March 28, 2023 while carrying out a combat mission near the village of Novomarkove in the Donetsk region. The defender was 33 years old. Yuriy was born in the village of Lisne, Chernihiv region. He studied at the Borovykivska and Dniprovska schools in the Chernihiv region. In 2013, he obtained a bachelor's degree in Geology from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. He settled in the capital. He started his career in 2010. He worked at LLC "ENEKST", holding the positions of head of the marketing sales department and head of the department for work with trade networks. In 2019, he received the qualification of a candidate for the title of Master of Sports in deadlift and bench press. During the full-scale war, the man became a serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He was a rifleman-sniper in the guard battalion of military unit A1937. He believed in victory over the occupiers and responsibly carried out all combat missions. "My dear brother, you combined all the qualities of a true and courageous warrior: an unbreakable spirit, a fight for justice and the life of every comrade-in-arms. You are a true patriot of your state now forever. You never feared anything! Spoke straight as you thought. Ready to go under the bullets and destroy the enemies. Always smiled, said: 'We'll make it!'. Always ready to give everything you have for a friend, sister, comrade-in-arms and family. A brave and loving man for a woman, the kindest father and hero for his native son, an irreplaceable son for his parents, a reliable support for me. As you said 'Sister'... You voluntarily went to this damned war, which spares no one. You said: 'I'm going to fight for the future of my son, so that he doesn't feel what we're going through now!'. We will never forget, never forgive! You are forever a Hero in our hearts," wrote Lyudmyla Pylnyk. The defender was buried in his native village. Yuriy is survived by his parents, sister, wife and son.