The Field During the Assault in the Zaporizhzhia Region. Let’s Remember Junior Lieutenant Yurii Sochka.

Every day at 9 AM, Ukrainians honor the memory of all those whose lives have been taken by the Russian-Ukrainian war. Today we remember Yurii Sochka.

On September 22, 2023, loyal to his military oath in battle for his homeland, demonstrating resilience and courage while carrying out a combat mission, the commander of the first airborne platoon, junior lieutenant Yurii Yuriyovych Sochka, was killed in the area of the village of Novoprokopivka, Zaporizhzhia region, as a result of an attack on the enemy's front line. This was reported by the Romenska City Council.

Yurii Sochka was born on May 5, 1991, in the village of Yalovyi Okip in the Lypovodolynskyi district. When the boy turned six, his family moved to the village of Halyky, where Yurii studied and gained his first life lessons. Later, the family moved again, settling in the village of Zhitne, where Yurii graduated from the ninth grade in 2004.Then Yurii continued his studies at the Kremenchuk Railway Technical School, mastering the profession of a trackman and conductor. Later, he earned a higher education specializing at the Kremenchuk National University named after Mykhailo Ostrohradskyi, striving to achieve mastery in his chosen field.In adulthood, Yurii found his love and started a family. The young couple had a daughter, who became their greatest pride and joy. The family settled in Kremenchuk.There, Yurii worked as a conductor, and later as a depot foreman, remaining a true professional appreciated by colleagues. He loved fishing. In his spare Time, Yurii worked as a taxi driver, trying to realize his dreams of a cozy and peaceful life.But Yurii Sochka's peaceful plans, like those of many other Ukrainians, were shattered by war…From the first days of the full-scale invasion, Yurii, guided by boundless love and care for his family, decided to send his daughter to Poland, where his wife was working at the time. Understanding the danger that was rapidly approaching, he prioritized his child's safety, as his daughter was the light of Yurii's life, his inspiration and pride.On August 9, 2022, he accepted fate's call and left his peaceful life to defend Ukraine, having received a summons from the Kremenchuk Regional Center for Recruitment and Social Support of the Poltava region.Yurii's military training began in Zhytomyr, where he proved to be a serious, disciplined, and determined fighter.After completing his training, he joined the ranks of the 46th Air Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine – the elite of our army.Yurii quickly established himself not only as a skilled warrior but also as a leader whom one could rely on. His responsibility and dedication to military service inspired genuine admiration from his comrades, and his authority among his peers was well-deserved and steadfast.Having progressed from soldier to junior lieutenant, Yurii Yuriyovych became the commander of the first airborne platoon – a duty he fulfilled with honor and dedication. His fighting spirit and humanity inspired his comrades, serving as an example of strength, resilience, and faith in victory.Yurii had the call sign Bob, and his unit had its own emblem. Comrades say that the enemy feared Yurii Bob and his crew, as everyone knew how skilled and professional the platoon Yurii led was on the front lines.Among the significant moments of his combat path was the liberation of Mykolaiv. For bravery and courage in this operation, Yurii received a special award from the head of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration, Vitalii Kim – an honorary watch. It was then that, through this award ceremony, his mother learned for the first time that her son was not at training, as he had said to keep her from worrying, but at the front lines. Yurii protected his mother's peace by keeping silent about the dangers of his combat path.April 2023 was a month of special awards for Yurii Yuriyovych. His combat wounds and endurance were recognized with a medal from the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine 'For Injury'. In the same month, by the decree of the President of Ukraine, he was awarded the medal 'For Military Service to Ukraine'.Yurii Sochka and his comrades went through the hottest points of the war, defending their homeland in the Kherson, Mykolaiv, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia directions. He held the defense in Bakhmut and Soledar, where each day demanded incredible courage and bravery from him.The defender was not often on leave. Only in March 2023 did Yurii Sochka come home to his loved ones on a long-awaited vacation. At that time, a woman with a daughter came from Poland, and all the relatives met at their mother's home in the village of Halka.On September 21, 2023, Yurii Sochka wrote to his mother that he was going on another combat mission. That same day, he managed to contact his family via video call – as he did whenever he had the opportunity, so that his relatives would not worry.From that day on, communication with Yurii was cut off.On September 24, 2023, comrades informed relatives that Yurii was considered missing in action. Difficult days and months of waiting and desperate searches began. Relatives did not give up trying to find him. Only a year later, in October 2024, was the body of Sochka identified through DNA testing after being transferred to Ukraine during another exchange. Confirmation...