The farewell for Vasyl Zarytskyi and Oleksandr Kravchuk will take place on Thursday, January 22, at 10:00 AM in Independence Square in Rivne. A memorial service will be held at the Holy Protection Cathedral, and the servicemen will be buried at the Alley of Heroes in the “Nove” cemetery in the regional center.
This is reported by Rivne24
Vasyl Zarytskyi was born on January 2, 1980, in Dubno, but he lived in Rivne since childhood. After studying at school No. 10, he trained as a repair locksmith at a local vocational school.
After his mandatory military service, he worked at “Rivneazot” and later at the State Guard Service. In June 2023, he was mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“He was familiar with military service – the army was not something new for him. He never complained about his time there. Vasyl did not like to show emotions; he kept everything inside. He was always someone you could rely on – a responsible and kind person,” recalled the defender’s sister.
Unfortunately, 44-year-old soldier Vasyl Zarytskyi was killed on April 7, 2024, while performing a combat mission in Donetsk region. Recently, his body was identified and handed over to his family for a dignified burial.
Vasyl is survived by two sisters.
Oleksandr Kravchuk was born on June 17, 1994, in Berezno. After finishing school, he trained as a physical education teacher for younger grades at a local forestry college.
In 2015, Oleksandr Kravchuk volunteered to defend his homeland in the anti-terrorist operation zone, serving in the National Guard of Ukraine. With the onset of the full-scale invasion, he did not hesitate to rejoin the ranks of defenders, joining the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“Oleksandr was caring and responsible, a good family man. He said, ‘I am going to protect my family so that the enemy does not come here.’ Family was his top priority – he did everything to make us happy, protecting the children and me. He never stayed at home – he loved to travel, go fishing, and was always on the move; he was an excellent driver. He had big plans for the future,” said the defender’s wife.
Unfortunately, 31-year-old junior sergeant Oleksandr Kravchuk was killed in Donetsk region on January 16, 2026. Oleksandr is survived by his wife, three children, and parents.