Our pain and pride

Even though a truce with militants was declared, unfortunately, our defenders continue dying from wounds they received earlier. According to Volodymyr Poliovy, representative of Information and Analytical Center at the Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, 864 Ukrainian military died since the start of the anti-terrorist operation in the east of Ukraine. We continue publishing stories of our heroes who now rest in peace: paratrooper Maksym Dobriansky, members of tank crew Mykola Brui and Yurii Koval. Read previous stories on The Day’s website (www.day.kiev.ua) in section “They Died for Us.”

“These boys are true heroes for all of us...”
 

Mykola Brui and Yurii Koval died on July 26 when breaking through the blockade of the Luhansk Airport. People of Chernihiv region will petition the government to bestow the titles of Hero of Ukraine on the two

Deputy chairman of the Chernihiv Regional Council Oleksandr Kodola stated recently that the council’s leadership will petition the government to bestow the titles of Hero of Ukraine on the two sons of Chernihiv region who had been killed during the fighting in Luhansk region. “We will put this issue before the regional council’s session, to be held in September,” Kodola said. “I believe the councilors will unanimously support our proposal.”

He also clarified that the command of the 1st Guards Tank Brigade, where the fallen soldiers served, will petition the government to bestow the titles as well. “There is every ground for it, and the soldiers definitely deserve it,” the regional official said. “These boys are true heroes for all of us. They gave their lives for me and you, for us to enjoy peaceful sky over our heads.”

The council’s leadership has initiated recognition for two soldiers of the tank brigade: Mykola Brui from Chernihiv, born in 1986, and Yurii Koval from the village of Yaroslavka, Bobrovytsia raion, born in 1980. Both soldiers were killed on July 26 near the village of Krasne in Luhansk region, breaking through the blockade of the Luhansk Airport.

Koval, a 34-year-old machine gunner, was killed by explosion of a Grad missile. According to his relatives, he rode on the lead APC of a Ukrainian armor column. When fired on, this soldier was the main target. Before getting hit by the Grad missile, Koval managed to jump out of the vehicle and kill four militants.

The soldier was buried in his native village of Yaroslavka in a closed coffin. Koval is survived by his wife and 10-year-old son.

Brui, a 28-year-old machine gunner, was killed when covering and freeing from captivity his fellow soldiers. This Chernihiv man was a member of the All-Ukrainian Bandera Trident organization, where he used Klyn as his nom de guerre. He took an active part in the Revolution of Dignity.

“When first volunteer battalions were formed, Brui was eager to join the Donbas battalion, but he was drafted into the army during the first wave of mobilization,” the fallen Chernihiv resident’s sister Yulia Brui told us. “He then said that all the paratroopers were called up first (he did his military service after university with the 95th Detached Airmobile Brigade). He served in Honcharivske where the 1st Guards Tank Brigade is stationed. He was offered a posting in Sumy, but he agreed to go only to the east,” the fallen soldier’s sister continued. “When in Luhansk region, he phoned home almost every day, talking about repeated shelling from the Russian Federation. He also called on the eve of his death on July 25 and said that he had received his salary and their unit bought up almost the entire village store. They were sent to reinforce the Luhansk Airport, and he warned me that there could be communication difficulties, so asked not to worry. My brother was sure of our victory... As for his return, he often said he would not surrender his weapons, like most soldiers, until the authorities answer all their questions. This was the main theme of our last conversation.”

For a long time, the militants refused to return the bodies of the dead soldiers to their families. Nonetheless, the families were able to negotiate the bodies’ delivery with representatives of a Luhansk undertaker. The fallen soldiers were transported to Izvaryne border checkpoint, and then the coffins were taken to Chernihiv through Russia and Kharkiv region.

Brui was buried on August 4, with funeral service for the hero held at the church of St. Catherine (Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Kyiv Patriarchate), for which he fought to keep it controlled by the Ukrainian parish. The 28-year-old left young wife and 5-year-old daughter in Chernihiv.

The issue of monetary compensation for relatives of the deceased is still open. However, some positive moves have already taken place. According to Yulia Brui, Chernihiv military recruitment office has sent all the required documents to Kyiv. “They say the compensation will be paid in a month or two,” the sister of the fallen Chernihiv soldier explained. “The regional council’s leadership helps us greatly. They provided us with a qualified lawyer, so all the major issues of pension for his wife and child have been resolved already.”

By Vitalii NAZARENKO, Chernihiv

Photos by the author and from the Chernihiv Oblast State Administration’s website