A 20-year-old sapper from Khmelnytskyi was killed at the front. Let's remember Maksym Korniichuk.

Every day at 9 a.m., Ukrainians honor the memory of all those whose lives were taken by the Russo-Ukrainian war. Today, we will remember Maksym Korniichuk. 

After long months of searching and waiting, soldier Korniichuk Maksym Hryhorovych returned home on a shield following his death. He was a sapper of the first sapper division of the second engineer-sapper platoon of the first engineer-sapper company of the military unit. This was reported by the Shepetivka City Council. 

Maksym Korniichuk was born in Shepetivka on March 21, 2004. He was the eldest son of Antonina Oleksandrivna and Hryhorii Hryhorovych. He also had a younger brother, Roman. As a child, Maksym attended the kindergarten “Dzyvinochok” and went to a general education school I-III degrees No. 1 in the first grade.

His father remembers: “He was like the wind… a bundle of energy, active, restless, but he did everything sensibly…”. He was passionate about football, attended Shepetivka Sports School, and participated in competitions. After finishing the ninth grade, Maksym decided to enter the Higher Vocational School No. 4 in Khmelnytskyi for the specialty of “locksmith-welder.” He was fascinated by technology, cars were his passion. However, the full-scale war drastically changed the young man's plans.

Although Maksym was not yet 18, he firmly decided that he wanted to fight. The young man repeatedly went to the local recruitment center, but he was refused due to his age. His parents asked Maksym to wait, but he was literally itching for battle.

On May 9, 2023, Maksym signed a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine and was sent to serve in military unit A 7024 in the town of Mlyniv, Rivne region. Later he was sent to training at the 169th training center named after Prince Yaroslav the Wise in the village of Desna, Chernihiv region. Also, from May 18 to June 21, 2023, he was trained in the United Kingdom and received the specialty of shooter of the III class.

Maksym enjoyed what he did; he tried his best to help his unit, sought any opportunities, and, thanks to him, the unit received two pickups from the Australian charity fund.

The hero's combat path began in the autumn of 2023 when he was sent to perform combat missions in the Kherson region. Later, he participated in battles for the city of Bakhmut. Communicating with his family, he always said, “everything will be fine…”.

In the spring of 2024, Maksym was on rotation. However, in June, he and his comrades were sent back to the combat zone in the Kharkiv region. There he received a new call sign Achilles.

His father recalls: “The war changed him; he became a true warrior.” His comrades said that Maksym was very brave for his age, always moving forward, never refusing work.

Moreover, the young man was very kind and empathetic; children loved him, and he easily found a common language with them. He greatly loved his little nieces Varya and Yuliya. Another confirmation of his empathy and kindness was the way he called his parents one day and told them that he had a new friend – a dog named Nik. Maksym couldn't leave the dog there, in the crucible of war, and took him with him. He shared photos and videos of his beloved pet with his parents.

Maksym last communicated with his family on the evening of August 7, 2024, saying that everything was fine and he was going to sleep. The boy didn't want his loved ones to worry, and then communication with him was lost. His parents became alarmed and began searching. In September, they received notification that their son was missing. Three months of terrible waiting, searching, and hoping that Maksym was alive. But, unfortunately…

Maksym Korniichuk died on August 8, 2024, while performing a combat mission in the area of the village of Hlyboke, Kharkiv region, due to the detonation of an explosive device dropped from an FPV drone.

The family lost their Maksym; friends lost a great friend. The dog Nik lost his owner but found a new loving family since his parents now have comfort – a small black-and-white friend from the East, which Maksym had sheltered.

As if leaving a message to his parents, Maksym left a short video on his phone. Walking through his native town, he recorded his thoughts on camera: “Fighting is my choice; I understand where I am going, and I care. I understand that I could die, but I think anyone would do the same…”.

“Glavkom” joins the minute of silence. We honor the memory of all Ukrainians who died in the struggle for their homeland. We remember those killed by the Russian invaders, light candles of memory, and bow our heads in mourning during the national minute of silence, honoring the bright memory of the citizens of Ukraine who gave their lives for the freedom and independence of the state: all military, civilians, and children, all who died in the fight against the Russian occupiers and as a result of the attack on Ukrainian cities and villages.