He laid down his life on the front line so that his native country could be free and independent. Eduard Petryk — an athlete and a warrior — was killed while carrying out a combat mission in the Kharkiv region. He was 37 years old.
Eduard was born on 9 June 1988 in Rivne. He studied at a local school, later graduated from the College of Technology and Design, and went on to earn a higher education degree at Stepan Demianchuk International University of Economics and Humanities, qualifying as a teacher of physical education and sport. This choice alone said more about him than any dry biographical lines ever could: sport was not a phase in his life — it was its very meaning.
From the age of nine, Eduard trained at FC Veres, later transitioning to futsal. He played for Kardynal (Rivne) and represented many other Rivne-based teams over the years.
In May 2025, he was mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Eduard served in military unit A4638, performing one of the most demanding roles in combat — rifleman-sniper.
“He never complained. He was always optimistic — perhaps shielding us from everything negative so we wouldn’t worry about him. Eduard was passionate about sports his entire life. He was a sincere person who never judged others and was always ready to help,” his sister recalls.
On 10 January 2026, while carrying out a combat mission near the village of Novoserhiivka in the Izium district of the Kharkiv region, Eduard Petryk fought his final battle.
The farewell to the Hero took place on 21 January in Independence Square in Rivne. He was laid to rest at the cemetery in the village of Veresneve, Rivne district. Eduard is survived by his mother, sister, and son.
We bow our heads before the fallen Defender.
Eternal memory.