Eight Ukrainian soldiers were killed and 16 wounded on July 14-15 in Donetsk Oblast, as authorities said Russian-separatist attacks intensified in the past week in war-torn Donbas.
Russian-separatist forces opened fire on Ukrainian positions more than 100 times on July 14, according to the Ukrainian army. Hotspots included areas near occupied Horlivka and the ruins at Donetsk airport, according to Presidential Administration spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk.
Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council said that the previous 24 hours marked “the most intense bombardments of Ukrainian territory since the signing of the Minsk (peace) agreement” in February.
The Kyiv Post estimates that at least 2,233 soldiers have been killed since mid-April 2014, based on official reports, local media sources and information from relatives. More than 6,700 people have been killed and 1.4 million displaced in the Russia-instigated war, according to the United Nations.
The following list is of those known to have
been killed during the period of June 20-July 15:
June 20
Andriy Nazarenko, 29, a soldier of the 131st
battalion from Donetsk Oblast. He was one of the first to join Mariupol self-defense group, strategic
port city in summer 2014. Nazarenko later volunteered to help the citizens when
the missiles killed at least 30 people in Mariupol on Jan. 24. He made it to
the war front in February with the 129th battalion, and later became
a member of 131st intelligence battalion. He was killed in an ambush
near the village of Chermalyk in Donetsk Oblast. Nazarenko leaves his parents
and a sister in Mariupol.
Volodymyr Myloserdov, 34, a soldier of the 131th
battalion from Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. He worked as a gas welder at the local
mine. Myloserdov volunteered to the army in February and was killed near
Pavlopil village in Donestk Oblast. “He was a fair serviceman and a great
friend,” Myloserdov’s comrade, Hennady, was quoted as saying during the
mourning. “He died for all of us.” He leaves a wife and a 9-year-old daughter
in Pavlohrad.
Anatoliy Zakhozhy, 38, a soldier of Ukraine’s National Guard from
Zaporizhya Oblast. He was mobilized
to army in early May and later volunteer to the war zone even though he had
health problems. His wife, Alla Zakhozhy, recalled he had no hesitations to go
to the army. “He was a kind man and tried to help everyone,” Zakhozhy’s
comrade, Yevhen Andriets, recalled. “He shared everything his relatives sent
him to the frontlines. I’ll always remember his smile.” Zakhozhy had been
serving close to Mariupol for the month and then was transported to one of
Mariupol-based hospital for an urgent surgery. He died the next day after the
operation. Zakhozhy leaves his wife in Zaporizhya Oblast.
June 21
Vitaly Kozak, 33, a soldier of the
93rd mechanized brigade from Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast. He had a major
in law and worked at local police department. Kozak was an active EuroMaidan
Revolution supporter. He volunteered to
the army in February. He was killed near Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast. Kozak
leaves his son in a city of Tlumach in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast.
June 22
Roman Rushchak, 37, a soldier of the 128th mechanized brigade
from Ternopil Oblast. He
was killed in Horodyshche village in Luhansk Oblast. “He was very kind and cheerful man, and a real
patriot,” Rushchak’s neighbor, Maryana Zimbitska, was quoted as saying during
the mourning. Rushchak leaves his family in a town of Chortkiv.
Oleh Boreiko, 41, a soldier of the 72nd mechanized
brigade from Kyiv Oblast. He worked
as a mechanician, then
volunteered to the army in February. Boreiko took part in the battles for Savur Mohyla, a hill of strategic
importance in Donetsk Oblast close to the Russian border. He was badly wounded
and received continuous treatment. He died on June 22.
June 23
Serhiy Makarov, 24, a soldier of Ukraine’s National Guard
from Mykolaiv Oblast. He was
mobilized to the army in March and was killed in the battle for Mariinka in
Donetsk Oblast. Makarov leaves his parents in a city of Voznesensk.
June 24
Mykola Harbar, 42, a
border guard from Khmelnytsk Oblast. He was badly wounded near Stanytsia
Luhanska and died later in one of Kharkiv city hospitals. Harbar leaves a wife
and three children in Netishyn village in Khmelnytsk Oblast.
June 25
Serhiy Shvets, 39, a soldier of the 2rd Pivnich
motorized battalion from Rivne Oblast. He
volunteered to the army and died later of heart attack during the battle for
Luhanske village in Donetsk Oblast. Shvets leaves his mother in Dubno city in
Rivne Oblast.
Anatoliy Dubovyk, 28, a soldier of the 93rd mechanized
brigade from Mykolaiv Oblast. He
worked as an electrician for the local thermal power station in Mykolaiv.
Dubovyk was mobilized to the army in April and was badly wounded during the
shootout near Mariupol. He leaves a mother and a brother in his native Velyka
Korenykha village in Mykolaiv Oblast.
June 28
Viktor Mykytyuk, 51, a soldier of the Pivnich motorized battalion
from Rivne Oblast. He was mobilized to the army in late August. Mykytyuk got sick while serving in the east and died on
June 28. He leaves a wife and two children in Zdolbuniv city in Rivne Oblast.
June 29
Ivan Strykun, 47,
a soldier of the 93rd mechanized brigade from Rivne Oblast. He was
mobilized to the army in mid-March. He died because of heart attack during the
battle near Zhelanne village in Donetsk Oblast. Strykun leaves a wife and two
children.
June 30
Dmytro Ponomarenko, 30, a soldier of the 1st
tank brigade from Cherkasy Oblast. He
was mobilized to the army in August 2014. Ponomarenko was badly wounded in
spring; he made it back to the frontline after the treatment. He was injured
again in summer and died later in one of Dnipropetrovsk city hospitals.
July 1
Mykola Davydov, 40, a soldier of the 93rd
mechanized brigade from Sumy Oblast. He was mobilized to the army last summer
and was killed during the shelling presumably near Pisky in Donetsk Obalst.
Davydov leaves a wife and two daughters in a city of Trostyanets in Sumy
Oblast.
July 4
Dmytro Demkovsky, 27, a soldier of the 24th mechanized brigade
from Lviv Oblast. He got a major in
philology from Drohobych pedagogical university in western Ukraine, and then
served in the army. He enrolled in military training in Germany and the U.S.
and then volunteered to the war front. Demkovsky was killed as he stepped on a
landmine near the village of Novotoshkivske in Luhansk Oblast. He leaves a
sister in Lviv Oblast’s Sambir.
Roman Tsap, 39, a soldier of the 24th mechanized
brigade from Lviv Oblast. He was mobilized to the army in August 2014. He was
badly wounded stepped on a landmine near the village of Novotoshkivske in
Luhansk Oblast. His death was instant. Tsap leaves two twin sons in his native
village of Susidovychi in Lviv Oblast.
Artem Romanov, 37, a soldier of Aidar Regiment from
Dnipropetrovsk. He was an active EuroMaidan
Revolution supporter, was a member of the 19th self-defense unit in
Kyiv. Later he volunteered to the army. Romanov’s friends recalled he liked to
organize combat reenactment, helped volunteers to track World War II casualties.
Romanov was killed near Novotoshkivska village in Luhansk Oblast as he stepped
on a landmine. “Artem was a (typical) yes man, he was brave and kind. Now he’s
gone. The country’s lost a great man,” Volodymyr Indzahiev posted to his
Facebook page. Romanov leaves his mother in Dnipropetrovsk.
July 6
Vasyl Shlimkevych, 44, a soldier of the 80th airborne brigade from Ivano-Frankivsk
Oblast. He was mobilized to the army in mid-February and was killed in Luhansk
Oblast. Shlimkevych leaves a wife and two daughters in his native Khorotseve
village in Ivano-Frankivsk Obalst.
July 7
Volodymyr Brozhko, 26, a soldier of the 8th special
regiment from Kyiv. He patrolled the territory close to the Siversky Donets
river trying to prevent illegal cargo transfer.
Brozhko was killed when the Russia-separatist fighters opened fire on
their military vehicle close to Lopaskyne village in Luhansk Oblast. He leaves
a mother and a sister in Kyiv.
Vasyl Ustymuk, 22, a soldier of the 14th mechanized brigade
from Volyn Oblast. He graduated from a local automotive vocational school and
planned to be a truck driver. Ustymuk started his military service in May and
was badly injured in late June when a bullet hit his backbone. His parents and
compatriots raised money for the operation, but he died later in one of Odesa
city hospitals. Ustymuk leaves his parents in a village of Zelene in Volyn
Oblast.
July 8
Volodymyr Oliynyk, 30, a military driver of the 128th mechanized brigade
from Cherkasy Oblast. He was mobilized to the army in August 2014. He delivered
equipment, food supplies and arms to his comrades at the war front. He was
badly wounded in Luhansk Oblast and died later in Kharkiv-based military
hospital. Oliynyk leaves a mother and a sister in his native village in
Cherkasy Oblast.
July 9
Dmytro Filimonov, 28, a soldier of the 95th airborne brigade from Khmelnytsk Oblast. Filimonov worked as a tractor driver and then was mobilized to
the army in August 2014. He had been serving in the army for more than a year
when he was killed during the mortar shelling in Donetsk Oblast. He was about
to serve for three more weeks before going home. He leaves a brother in Zalistsi
village in Khmelnytsk Oblast.
July 11
Leonid Moskotin, 59, a soldier of the 93rd
mechanized brigade from Chernihiv Oblast. He was a member of Svoboda Party local branch.
Moskotin was badly wounded during the shelling near destroyed Donetsk airport
building. “He was always at the forefront and he defended Ukrainian idea from
the very beginning,” Oleh Tyahnybok, Svoboda Party leader, was quoted as saying
during the funeral. Moskotin leaves his family in a city of Nizhyn in Chernihiv
Oblast.
July 12
Yuriy Tsisaruk, 41, a colonel from Khmelnytsk Oblast. He was a
professional serviceman, Tsisaruk had been serving in Ukrainian Armed Forces
since 1992. Tsisaruk stepped on a
landmine near the village of Novotoshkivske in Luhansk Oblast. He was
badly injured and died later in the hospital. “He was always ready to help, and
was a great example for his younger colleagues,” Tsisaruk’s comrade, Oleksandr
Lysak, was quoted as saying. “It’s painful (for us) to loose such
professionals.” He leaves a wife and a 15-year-old son.
Serhiy Pavlyuk, 29, a soldier of Ukraine’s National
Guard from Vinnytsia. He served at the 32nd checkpoint near
Bakhmutka highway in Luhansk Oblast. He was killed in a car accident on his way
home for vacation. The accident happened in Poltava Oblast when a car hit the
bus with the servicemen. Pavlyuk’s death was instant. “He survived under the
shelling and died senselessly because of someone’s other fault,” Pavlyuk’s
comrade, Dmytro Katusiov, was quoted as saying. Pavlyuk leaves a wife and a
newborn child in a city of Vinnytsia.
Kyiv Post staff writer Olena Goncharova can be
reached at [email protected].
