Vasyl BAKOTSKIY

Vasyl Stepanovych was born on October 4, 1974, in the city of Nosivka in the Chernihiv region. His journey into the railway family was mature and measured: after graduating from the Kozelets Veterinary Medicine College, he eventually found his true calling in the field of security and safety.

Since 2017, Vasyl Stepanovych dedicated himself to working at JSC "Ukrzaliznytsia." Serving as a shooter in the shooting team of the Kyiv Cargo Station within the Kyiv Department of the Departmental Militarized Security, he progressed to the position of a 4th category specialist. Colleagues remember him as a person of unwavering character but with a big and sincere heart. He was noted for his exceptional diligence, endurance, and humanity. He was the reliable guard on whom one could always count for honesty and principle.

With the onset of the full-scale invasion, Vasyl Stepanovych did not hesitate to exchange civilian duty for military service. Mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine, he bravely carried out combat missions in the most challenging areas of the front.

On June 24, 2024, during a combat mission near the village of Makiivka in the Luhansk region, Vasyl Stepanovych fought his last battle. For a long time, he was considered missing in action, and his family held onto hope until the very end. Only on April 7, 2026, did official confirmation finally attest to the irreparable loss for his family and the state.

Vasyl Stepanovych was a loving husband to his wife, Tetiana Vitaliivna, and a caring father to his son, Oleksandr, for whom he will forever remain a model of honor and dignity.

The team of the Kyiv Department of the Departmental Militarized Security and the entire railway community express their deepest condolences to the family of the fallen Hero. We share your pain and bow our heads in deep sorrow. The bright memory of Vasyl Stepanovych, his courage, and self-sacrifice will forever remain in our hearts.

Eternal memory and honor to the Hero!