| Vitalii Skakun | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Vitalii Volodymyrovych Skakun |
| Born | 19 August 1996 |
| Died | 24 February 2022 (aged 25) |
| Place of birth | Berezhany, Ternopil Oblast, Ukraine |
| Place of death | Henichesk, Kherson Oblast, Ukraine |
| Allegiance |
 Ukraine |
| Service/branch |
 Ukrainian Navy |
| Years of service | 2021–2022 |
| Rank | Seaman |
| Unit | 35th Naval Infantry Brigade "Rear Admiral Mikhail Ostrogradsky", Ukrainian Naval Infantry |
| Battles/wars |
|
| Awards |
 Order of the Gold Star (posthumously) |
Vitalii Volodymyrovych Skakun (Ukrainian: Віталій Володимирович Скакун; 19 August 1996 – 24 February 2022) was a Ukrainian marine combat engineer who was posthumously awarded the Order of the Gold Star. He sacrificed his life in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine while blowing up a bridge in Henichesk to slow the advance of Russian troops during the Kherson offensive.
Early life[]
Skakun was born on 19 August 1996 in Berezhany in western Ukraine.[1][2] He attended the No. 3 school in Berezhany, where his mother was a member of the teaching staff.[2] Later in Lviv, Skakun graduated from Higher Vocational School No. 20, where he studied to be a welder.[2] Skakun graduated from Lviv Polytechnic.[1]
Military career[]
During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Skakun's battalion was deployed to protect the town of Henichesk, located near the Isthmus of Perekop.[3] As a Russian armored column approached the position, Ukrainian forces decided to destroy the Henichesk bridge, in order to impede the advance of Russian troops travelling northward from Crimea during the Kherson offensive. Skakun, a combat engineer, volunteered to place mines on the bridge.[4]
On 24 February 2022, after placing the explosives, Skakun did not have enough time to withdraw from the bridge and, after communicating his intentions to his fellow soldiers,[5] detonated the mines, killing himself and destroying the bridge. His actions slowed the Russian advance allowing his battalion time to regroup.[6]
Legacy[]
On 26 February 2022, Skakun was posthumously awarded the Order of the Gold Star, the military version of the title of Hero of Ukraine, by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.[1][5]
On 28 February 2022, the Czech representative of one of Prague's city districts, Libor Bezděk, proposed to rename a bridge in Korunovační Street, which is the address of the Russian embassy, to Vitalij Skakun bridge. The proposal was accepted by the district and was forwarded to Prague City Council.[7]
On 1 March 2022, the city council of Berezhany awarded the title of "Honorary Citizen of Berezhany" to Skakun.[8]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Martyn, Iryna (2022-02-26). "Vitalii Skakun, who blew up the bridge in Henichesk at the cost of his own life, is a graduate of Lviv Polytechnic". https://lpnu.ua/en/news/vitalii-skakun-who-blew-bridge-henichesk-cost-his-own-life-graduate-lviv-polytechnic.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Belyakova, Irina (February 25, 2022). "Віталік, дитино, як??? Що розповіли у Бережанах про Героя Віталія Скакуна, який підірвав міст разом із собою - 20 хвилин" (in uk). https://te.20minut.ua/Podii/vitalik-ditino-yak-scho-rozpovili-u-berezhanah-pro-geroya-vitaliya-ska-11524446.html.
- ↑ "Ukrainian serviceman Skakun blows up Henichesk bridge to stop advance of tank column" (in en). https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3412500-ukrainian-serviceman-skakun-blows-up-henichesk-bridge-to-stop-advance-of-tank-column.html.
- ↑ Kiehart, Christopher Miller, Isobel Koshiw, Pete. "Stories Of Ukrainian Heroism Are Emerging And Giving The Country Hope" (in en). https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/christopherm51/videos-ukraine-heroism-russia-invasion-tanks.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Jackson, Jon (25 February 2022). ""Heroic" Ukrainian soldier blows up bridge, himself to halt Russia advances". https://www.newsweek.com/heroic-ukrainian-soldier-blows-bridge-himself-halt-russia-advances-1682810.
- ↑ Sheets, Megan (2022-02-25). "Ukrainian soldier blew himself up on bridge to block advancement of Russian tanks" (in en). https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-soldier-russia-henichesk-bridge-b2023517.html.
- ↑ ""Ukrajinských hrdinů". Přejmenujme ulici u ruské ambasády, navrhuje radnice Prahy 6 | Aktuálně.cz" (in cs). 2022-02-28. https://zpravy.aktualne.cz/regiony/praha/prejmenujme-ulici-u-ruske-ambasady-na-pocest-ukrajiny-navrhu/r~eed2a40a988611ec8a24ac1f6b220ee8/.
- ↑ Decision of the Brzezany City Council "On conferring the title of "Honorary Citizen of Berezany".
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