Forever 19… While defending Ukraine from Russian invaders, karateka Ilya Romanovskyi was killed.
Born on May 24, 2004, in the village of Mar’yanyvka, Khmelnytskyi region, Ilya excelled academically, winning district Olympiads, contests, and studying accordion at a music school. He also diligently pursued sports. Ilya represented Khmelnytskyi in national Kyokushinkai karate competitions and was a prizewinner at the Ukrainian championship.
After graduating with honors from 9th grade, he enrolled in the Khmelnytskyi Polytechnic College in 2019, specializing in Engineering Mechanics.
When the full-scale invasion began, Ilya switched to an individual study schedule, determined to defend his homeland. He passed his exams externally, defended his thesis, and, before even graduating, volunteered for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. On April 26, 2023, he took an oath of loyalty to the Ukrainian people.
Sadly, less than six months after joining, Ilya’s family received the devastating news. On September 25, 2023, during a combat mission in the Zaporizhzhia region, 19-year-old Ilya Romanovskyi was killed…