Yurii O. Taran (Taran)

Captain Yuriy Tarana was killed in action on July 18, 2022, in a battle in Donbass. The officer was 25 years old. Yuriy was born in Vinnytsia region. He stuwas killed in action at the Tulchyn Military Lyceum, graduated with honors from the faculty of combat application of troops of the National Academy of Land Forces named after Hetman Petro Sahaidachny. He also received a diploma in psychology. The young officer was appointed commander of a platoon of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after the Black Zaporozhians. Immediately after graduation, Yuriy Tarana with his unit went to the front lines of Luhansk region. Already in 2019, the military man, who was 22 years old at the time, headed a company. Yuriy performed combat tasks in the area of the Joint Forces Operation: took part in battles on the Svitlodarsk arc, under Popasna, in Zolote, Verkhniotoretske. After the full-scale invasion of Russia, during the defense of Kyiv region, Yuriy's unit gave a worthy rebuff to the Russian occupiers. The young officer did not go on leave for 4 years of service. He was very ambitious and planned to re-enter the military academy for another specialty. He was preparing for exams. On February 25, 2022, the infantrymen stopped the breakthrough of the Russians in the Boryspil direction, destroying 3 tanks and 15 BMPs, capturing 3 trophy BMPs. After the liberation of Kyiv region from the occupiers in April 2022, the company commander with his unit quickly and successfully cleared the settlements of Kharkiv region. Further, the infantrymen continued to perform tasks on the Donetsk and Luhansk directions. On the front line, Yuriy received the military rank of captain. For the last 1.5 months before his death, he held the position of chief of staff of the battalion of the 72nd OMBR. On July 6, 2022, Captain Yuriy Tarana was awarded the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi III degree. Almost all the officer's posts on social networks were dedicated to confessions of love for the country. One of them: "To you, my Ukraine, and my first breath, and my last breath." The hero was buried in the village of Zherdenivka in Vinnytsia region. Yuriy left behind his parents, younger sister, and beloved girlfriend.