The War Museum held a memorial event titled “United by Choice: Fate and Honor” to mark the second anniversary of the deaths of servicemen from the 12th Mechanized Company, 4th Mechanized Battalion of the Presidential Brigade “Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytskyi”. We honored the memory of soldiers Dmytro Vovchenko, Bohdan Zarytskyi, Vadym Kryklyvyi, Mykola Malanich, Yevhen Melnyk, and Andrii Sydorchuk, as well as senior soldiers Oleksandr Shaparenko and Andrii Shchehol. The event was moderated by Museum researcher Larysa Osadcha, who recounted the final heroic feat of this group of soldiers.
While completely surrounded near the village of Rozdolivka in the Donetsk region on February 10, 2024, they courageously repelled assaults by numerically superior enemy forces and fell during an artillery and mortar bombardment. By Presidential Decree on October 16, 2024, each was posthumously awarded the Order “For Courage,” 3rd Class.
The circumstances of the defenders’ final battle required a thorough investigation by a Ministry of Defense military unit. Museum researchers also gathered extensive information about the fallen. Currently, there are no public records on social media regarding the collective heroic deed of these eight comrades. During the event, researcher Valentyna Smirnova spoke about the painstaking work involved in reconstructing the life and combat paths of the fallen. Her presentation was accompanied by a video recorded at the combat position on February 10, 2024, by one of the heroes, Dmytro Vovchenko.
Relatives, friends, and brothers-in-arms shared their memories of the fallen servicemen. Each story was accompanied by moving photos and videos. Anatolii Remeta, who performed combat missions alongside them in the Donetsk region during the summer of 2023, offered a warm tribute to his comrades.
Father Andrii, military chaplain of the Presidential Brigade “Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytskyi”, addressed the participants: “The names of the fallen heroes are forever inscribed in the chronicle of Ukraine and in our hearts. The memory of these warriors is a light that helps us live, prevents us from breaking, and inspires us to continue the struggle.” He led a collective prayer for the fallen defenders of Ukraine.
Major Oleksii Parkhomenko, head of the Civil-Military Cooperation Sector of the Presidential Brigade “Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytskyi”, emphasized: “The heroes will not be forgotten. We will install a memorial plaque engraved with their names. They have entered the history of our brigade forever.”
Relatives donated personal belongings of the fallen to the Museum’s collection: Andrii Shchehol’s “Red Forest” shoulder sleeve insignia and his collectible Harry Potter coins; and Dmytro Vovchenko’s plate carrier, featuring commemorative inscriptions from fellow servicemen with whom he trained in the United Kingdom.
The War Museum sincerely thanks everyone who participated in this memorial event. The documentation of the history of these eight soldiers continues, as the full story of each hero is yet to be fully told.
