Yurii D. Vasylets

Yuriy Dmytrovych Vasylets was born on April 30, 1975, in the village of Dorohobuzh, Hoshchanskyi district, Rivne region. In August 2022, Yuriy Vasylets was called up for military service in the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine as part of the mobilization. Since December 2022, the serviceman, as part of the border unit of the 1st border detachment, actively participated in combat actions defending the city of Soledar in the Donetsk region. It was during this time that fierce and brutal battles for the settlement began. The enemy unsuccessfully attacked the positions of the Ukrainian defenders for a month. Serving as a driver, Yuriy ensured the mobility of the unit and maintained its combat readiness. Coming under enemy fire, which sought to obstruct the movement of our vehicles, Senior Soldier Vasylets skillfully maneuvered the vehicle, avoiding fire, and always timely replenished the supply of ammunition and provisions for the border guards' positions. On the night of January 8 to 9, 2023, the enemy began preparations for an offensive and carried out a massive shelling of the border guards' position "Solyana Mine No. 5" with artillery and mortars. The unit of the 1st border detachment bravely held the defense and attempted to inflict fire damage on the enemy in response. However, the enemy closed in and struck with tanks, machine guns, and small arms. During the attack, as a result of a gunshot wound, Yuriy Vasylets was killed. For personal courage and selfless actions demonstrated in the defense of the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, as well as loyalty to the military oath, Senior Soldier Yuriy Dmytrovych Vasylets was posthumously awarded the Order of "For Courage" III degree.