KOSTYSHAK Vasyl

In the community, people like Vasyl Kostiak, the station master of the Radekhiv branch of the Lviv Railway, are referred to as "iron" individuals. Vasyl Ivanovych dedicated his entire working life—nearly 35 years—to the railway. After studying at the Lviv Railway Transport Technical School, he consistently honed his professional experience in the movement department, progressing from a dispatcher to a station manager. His unwavering dedication to work was inspired by the example of Heorhiy Kirpa, with whom Vasyl Kostiak had the fortune to communicate personally. High discipline, perseverance, and determination are qualities that Vasyl Ivanovych inherited from Heorhiy Mykolayovych, whom he rightfully considered his mentor, and passed on to his son Mykola, who also chose a railway profession.

Vasyl Kostiak was "iron" not only in his profession but also in his character. Therefore, his colleagues respected and valued him as a person who fully devoted himself to his work; he was always ready to help and support others. Brave, true to his principles, he knew how to lead his team and set an example for others.

One such example was his extraordinary sense of responsibility not only for the tasks assigned to him but also for the well-being and prosperity of his family, community, and homeland. True to his convictions, Vasyl Kostiak exchanged his railway uniform for a military one, joining the Armed Forces of Ukraine to defend the unity and independence of the country from predatory enemy encroachments.
Under the command of Sergeant Vasyl Kostiak, the 2nd machine gun section of the 1st rifle battalion successfully carried out complex combat missions in the hot spots of the front in Donetsk.

At the end of September 2024, during a fierce battle, comrades lost contact with the section commander. For a long year and a half, while Vasyl Kostiak was considered missing in action, his family, friends, and colleagues held onto hope, but unfortunately, at the beginning of March this year, DNA testing confirmed the tragic news of Vasyl Ivanovych's death.

The staff of the Radekhiv station and colleagues from the Lviv Railway express their heartfelt condolences to Vasyl Ivanovych's family. We have lost not just a leader, but a teacher, a comrade, and a true son of Ukraine. His professional journey and heroic deed are forever inscribed in golden letters in the history of our region. Eternal memory to the iron man with a golden heart. Rest in peace, Commander.