“MAESTRO”

Vadym Prokopchuk (call sign Maestro) was killed on 12 February 2024 during an evacuation. According to his brothers-in-arms, they were also under encirclement, and he joined an assault group to break through it. The breakthrough succeeded, but the details should be уточнені with his comrades (this is based on their accounts). Prokopchuk Vadym Mykolaiovych was born on 17 February 2001 in the village of Chovnytsia, Volyn Oblast. On the day of his funeral, 17 February 2024, he would have turned 23. From the age of eight, he studied trombone at a music school in Kivertsi. He later studied first at a music college and then at an academy in Kyiv. During his studies, he played in the symphony orchestra “Soli Deo” and in other church and non-church orchestras. Later, together with friends, he founded his own group, “Hot Brass Band,” which performed often in Lutsk and other cities. Vadym loved the trombone and saw his future in music. He often spoke about plans to go to Germany or Singapore to play in a symphony orchestra and gain that kind of professional experience as well. He was a member of the Lutsk Bible Church of Evangelical Christian Baptists. Faith and God were the foundation of his worldview and life principles. In February 2022, on the second day of the full-scale invasion, he joined the 100th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade without hesitation, where he served. In August 2022, Vadym made the decision to transfer — at that time it was SSO “Azov Kyiv.” In September 2022, while on service leave, he married his beloved Yulia Prokopchuk. They had dreamed of their wedding for six years. In total, they were married for 1.5 years. Officially, Vadym held the rank of soldier, but for several months he had already been serving as a platoon commander, and he was expected to receive an officer rank soon. He was a field leader — in the U.S. Army, a similar path is sometimes called a “mustang,” referring to a servicemember who rises from enlisted to officer “in the field.” In May 2023, he went on his first mission as part of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade. All summer and half of autumn, he and his brothers-in-arms liberated villages south of Bakhmut. It was an extremely difficult offensive — tree line after tree line — they were outnumbered and had far less fire support than the enemy. Vadym quickly proved himself as a capable warrior and soon began commanding a platoon. He never spared himself, and he never left a position until the last brother-in-arms had withdrawn. When he was not on positions, he constantly trained the guys, because he knew it would help save their lives. He was killed on 12 February 2024 in the battles for Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast. “After arriving in Avdiivka at the company command post, Maestro began organizing combat operations and the work of the company штаб. My platoon was almost surrounded. Through the radio I kept in contact with Vadym. His voice gave us faith that we could get out of the encirclement. The Russians managed to break a hole in our battalion’s defense, and they took several hangars in the industrial zone near a strategically important road. Our command reacted and decided to form an assault group to push them away from the road. Maestro volunteered to be the commander of the assault group, even though he could have stayed at the command post. During the fighting near the hangars, Maestro was killed, along with part of the group. But thanks to their actions, the Russians pulled back from the road, and our forces were able to withdraw safely. I owe my life to Vadym — otherwise I would not have been able to get out of the encirclement. Maestro was a good friend and a loyal brother-in-arms. He was the kind of fighter who never left anyone in danger. It is a great loss not only for family and friends, but for the army as well. He should have been developing the armed forces, because people like him make the army more modern and keep it from becoming rigid. Maestro always inspired me to believe in myself and in my strength — and that is what I learned thanks to him.” — Brother-in-arms, Skuchnyi Vadym promised Yulia, his wife, that their children would not go to war — so he went to serve himself. He wanted to secure the best possible future for his family. He was a brave warrior, a loving husband, son, brother, friend, a talented musician, a patriot of his country, always honest with himself and with others. Vadym was — and will remain — an important person in the lives of many people who will not allow the memory of him to fade. “Looking at Vadym, I have always been amazed — and I still am — at how diverse and multifaceted a person can be. He is a steel warrior, with no room for weakness or cowardice. He always acts with a cold mind and bold decisions. He is a Christian with clear values that are clearly visible in his life. He is a wise man who always has an answer and will find advice if you ask — even though his life experience lasted only a short 22 years. He is a formidable fighter for justice, even despite the views of those close to him. He is uncompromising toward evil. He is openness in criticism and in ordinary heart-to-heart conversations. He is a role model. He is devotion to his cause and discipline. He is great and selfless love.” — His wife, Yulia