In the battles against Russian occupiers, musician and snowboarding instructor Andriy Chepil was killed.
Born on April 6, 1994, in Ivano-Frankivsk, Andriy joined the scout organization “Plast” in 2001 with his younger brother, Orest, and older brother, Vitalii. He learned to play piano and saxophone in his hometown. His talent and love for music defined his future. Andriy served in the military orchestra of the honor guard of the presidential regiment. Later, he became part of the cover bands “Frisson Band” and “Smerichka,” and played as a trembita player in the folk-rock band “KoraLLI.” He also occasionally worked as a snowboarding instructor in Bukovel.
Just before the full-scale invasion, in the autumn of 2021, he married fellow musician Bohdana Kinash. Unfortunately, like many other families in Ukraine, their marriage was torn apart by war. In April 2022, Andriy joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine, participating in battles in Kharkiv region, near Izium and Kupiansk. Later, he transferred to the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade “Magura.”
On June 28, 2023, near the village of Robotyne in Zaporizhzhia, Andriy Chepil was killed during an assault on Russian positions, along with three comrades. Due to intense enemy fire, the bodies of the fallen could only be recovered after four weeks, when the invaders were pushed back. It took over two months for genetic identification…