“SIABR”

Junior Sergeant Andrii Stepanets, with the псевдо “SIABR”, was killed as a result of enemy artillery shelling on 7 July 2024 near the village of Andriivka in Donetsk Oblast. He was 26 years old. The defender was born in Rivne region, in the village of Karpylivka. After finishing school, he obtained a higher education at the Kremenets Regional Humanitarian and Pedagogical Academy named after Taras Shevchenko. In 2020, he joined the National Police of Ukraine, serving in RPS POP “Ternopil” as a police officer. His warrior’s path began in 2020 — together with his unit, he carried out tasks in the ATO/JFO zone. With the start of the full-scale war, he joined the volunteer battalion “Karpatska Sich” and took part in battles in the areas of Irpin, Bucha, Hostomel, and Stoianka in Kyiv Oblast. Later, he carried out defensive operations against enemy advances toward Barvinkove, Virnopillia, and Izium in Kharkiv region. In June 2022, he became a serviceman of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade “Kholodnyi Yar”. He served as a squad commander in the command-and-control and artillery reconnaissance battery. He took part in the liberation of Kharkiv region and in the defense of Bakhmut and Soledar. “Since his student years, Andrii was a passionate youth activist — in particular, a member of the youth civic organization ‘Sokil Svobody’. He worked on national-patriotic education and training for young people. My brother was the best: caring, kind, fair, with honor and conscience. He was very patriotic, a nationalist, a man with his own позиція. Strong and athletic, he loved sports and had a brilliant sense of humor. Our whole family adored him — you could never be bored with him. He was interested in everything, from politics to economics. He had so many plans for this life, but he went to protect all of us, because he loved Ukraine above all else and wanted to live именно here — in an independent, sovereign Ukraine,” his sister Viktoriia said. For his service, Andrii Stepanets received a number of awards, including the breast badges “For Assisting the Defense of Kyiv” and “Golden Cross”, and a distinction from the First Deputy Head of the Ternopil Regional Council: “For personal courage, for demonstrated patriotism, bravery, and resilience in the defense of the territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine.” He was laid to rest in his native village. Andrii is survived by his parents, stepfather, brother, and sisters.