Fierce fighting in the area around Zaitseve has claimed the life of another Ukrainian warrior. Killed was a good man and father. He has left behind three children and a pregnant wife…
Vasyl Fitskalynets from Transcarpathia was only 41. At the front he worked as an instructor at the Yavoriv military training ground.
We learned about this tragedy almost immediately. After long deliberations about whether to publish the story and after consulting with the commander of the unit we decided to run the story with some conditions. Why? Because Vasyl represents a situation that should happen in the aftermath of the Minsk-brokered cease fire agreements. By naming Vasyl he becomes more than just a number he is a human face to a war where too many nameless and faceless Ukrainian lives are being lost. His comrades in the brigade asked we keep details to a bare minimum. We can say about 23.00 on May 31, Vasyl came under fire from a Russian terrorist sniper. Vasyl was wounded and while his fellow soldiers were quick to come to his aid, unfortunately, they found him barely breathing and his life quickly ebbed away…
Today, as his body was taken from the front, the unit’s commander posthumosly awarded him for his bravery. Vasyl’s funeral (link with order of service in Ukrainian) will be held in Irpen on Sunday, June 5. Eternal memory to this hero and honor to his family.
The folowing photo alludes to how Vasyl died. You can clearly see the lens of the sight is smashed. The photo was sent to us by the unit commander.
One journalist wrote Vasyl was killed because of lack of equipment. We refute that claim. Our volunteers have personally delivered a lot of optical equipment, including thermal imaging sights to the sniper unit of the 53rd Brigade two months ago. To view the documentation verifying the delivery, please visit the report page for the Rapid Response project (reference date 06/04/2016). The hero was performing his combat duties with one of these sights.
Words cannot express the pain of loss for those directly affected by this war… For those unaffected, life goes on, as always. As if nothing is happening. For most Ukrainians the war is somewhere “far away”. For the rest of the world, it is even further.
However, we cannot afford to be complacent. The war is still very much a reality. Ukrainian military who are risking their lives for their country need our help and support. This is our focus and we urge you to get involved. Help Ukraine’s survive, defeat the enemy and return to their families.
Now the our project that needs the most attention is Rapid Response. It is for it we collect money to buy high-tech optics for combating subversive groups and terrorist forces. Get involved.
