Vasyl Zubanych

Vasyl Ivanovich Zubanych (Ukrainian: Василь Іванович Зубанич; born 9 February 1983) is a colonel in the Ukrainian Ground Forces and a Hero of Ukraine. Zubanych was awarded the title Hero of Ukraine for his leadership of 15th Separate Mountain Battalion of the 128th Mountain Brigade in the fighting for Luhansk International Airport and the Battle of Debaltseve.[1] In late 2015, he became the commander of the 10th Mountain Brigade.[2]

Vasyl Ivanovich Zubanych
Native name
Василь Іванович Зубанич
Born (1983-02-09) 9 February 1983
Holyatn, Zakarpattia Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Allegiance Ukraine
Service/branchUkrainian Ground Forces
Years of service2000–present
RankColonel
Commands held10th Mountain Brigade
Battles/warsWar in Donbass
Awards
Medal For Military Service to Ukraine

Early life

Zubanych was born on 9 February 1983 in the village of Holyatn in Zakarpattia Oblast.[1]

Military service

Zubanych joined the Ukrainian Ground Forces in 2000 and graduated from the Odessa Institute of Land Forces. He was initially posted to the 24th Mechanized Brigade.[3]

Zubanych (right) receives the Gold Star of a Hero of Ukraine from Poroshenko

Zubanych became a company commander in the 15th Separate Mountain Battalion of the 128th Mechanized Brigade. On 6 December 2012, Zubanych was awarded the Medal For Military Service to Ukraine.[1][4] He later became battalion chief of staff. He became commander of the battalion on 31 December 2013. From May 2014, he fought in the War in Donbass. Zubanych fought in battles in Novoannovku, Nyzhne Teple, Lugansk village, Makarove, and Shchastya.[5] He served at mobile checkpoints, escorting supplies and convoys. Zubanych's positions were repeatedly shelled and attacked by separatists. While leading an assault group at the Lugansk Airport to cover the retreat of Ukrainian troops from an encirclement, Zubanych was wounded by shrapnel and also shot but continued to lead the unit and refused hospitalization.[3] In November 2014, he fought in the Battle of Debaltseve. His battalion held Chornukhyne, Nikishynomu, Ridkodubi, Kamyantsi, and other points in the Debaltseve salient despite significant losses.[6] The battalion was constantly under fire from BM-27 Uragans, BM-21 Grads, artillery, and mortars.[7] On 23 March 2015, Zubanych was awarded the title Hero of Ukraine for his leadership.[1][8]

In September 2015, Zubanych became the commander of the newly formed 10th Mountain Brigade in Kolomyia.[2] The Luhansk People's Republic accused Zubanych of war crimes in January 2016.[9]

Personal life

Zubanych is married.[8]

References
  1. "Зубанич Василь Іванович" [Zubanych Vasyl Ivanovich]. ukrgeroes.narod.ru (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 2017-01-04. Retrieved 2016-02-13.
  2. "На Прикарпатті створять нову гірську штурмову бригаду – Народна армія" [In the mountainous Carpathian region will create new assault brigade]. na.mil.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). Narodna armiya. 22 September 2015. Archived from the original on 31 January 2016. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
  3. Vasylenko, Oleksandra (7 September 2015). "Вибір Героя" [Selection of a Hero]. mil.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 5 January 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  4. "Про відзначення державними нагородами України" [Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 683/2012: On awarding state awards] (in Ukrainian). 6 December 2012. Archived from the original on 14 February 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  5. "Виходець з Міжгірщини, Герой України Василь Зубанич очолив новостворену гірсько-штурмову бригаду" [A native of Mizhhirya, Hero of Ukraine Vasyl Zubanych leads the new mountain-assault brigade] (in Ukrainian). Mizhhirya Raion Administration. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  6. "Людина тижня. Василь Зубанич" [Man of the week: Vasyl Zubanych]. report.if.ua (in Ukrainian). 2 October 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  7. Prokopenko, Olha (9 February 2016). "Іменинник мріє про мир" [Birthday dreams of peace]. Uryadovyy kuryer (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  8. Vasylenko, Oleksandra (August 2015). "Selection of a Hero" [Selection of a Hero] (PDF). Viysko Ukrainy (in Ukrainian). pp. 20–23. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  9. "Зубанич Василий Иванович" [Zubanych Vasily Ivanovich] (in Russian). News Agency of the Luhansk People's Republic. 29 January 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.