The Rivne region said farewell to four brave defenders of Ukraine
This is reported by Rivne24
In the Rivne region, mourning events were held in memory of four fallen defenders: Mykhailo Karyukov, Yaroslav Khrustovskyi, Taras Babich, and Oleksandr Virah.
The Formation of Heroes
Mykhailo Karyukov was born on November 30, 1986, in Rivne. After graduating from high school, he obtained higher education at the Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs. In particular, Mykhailo worked in the city police department, as well as in private business and the security firm “Venbest.” In November 2022, he joined the ranks of the National Guard of Ukraine. Unfortunately, Mykhailo was killed while performing a combat mission in Donetsk on July 9, 2024, and only in September 2025, thanks to DNA testing, was his body identified. He is survived by his mother, son, and father.
Yaroslav Khrustovskyi was born in 1983 in the village of Mlyniv. He was a driver of the machine gun platoon of the fire support company of the assault battalion. Yaroslav was killed in battle in the Donetsk direction on September 21, 2025, giving his life for the freedom of Ukraine. His burial took place in Mlyniv at the cemetery of the Sloboda neighborhood.
Heroes Who Left a Mark in History
Taras Babich was born in 1995 in the village of Stara Mykolaivka in the Smyz community. He bravely defended Ukraine until his last breath. Since July 24, 2025, Taras was considered missing in action, and the mourning procession with his body arrived in his native community on September 26. The warrior was buried at the cemetery of the village of Smyha.
Oleksandr Virah, a native of the village of Maleve in the Boremel community, was born on June 11, 1995, and lived in Odesa. He was a combat officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Unfortunately, Oleksandr’s life was cut short on September 17, 2025, and his burial took place on September 26 in Odesa.