April 23, 2023
Soldier Andriy Balan, call sign Ranger, was killed on April 23, 2023, in a battle with occupiers near the village of Novokalynove in Donetsk region. He was 20 years old.
Andriy was born in the village of Oleksandrivka in Kirovohrad region. He trained as a cook at the Kropyvnytskyi Vocational Lyceum. After completing his education, he was called up for mandatory military service. In his free time, he was involved in sports, loved cooking, especially baking.
In 2021, Andriy signed a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He served as a mechanic in the operational exploitation department of the operational platoon of military unit A2556. He encountered the full-scale war in Tokmak, Zaporizhzhia region, where he guarded ammunition depots. Later, he joined his comrades in the hotspots of the front line and fought for his homeland.
“We cannot come to terms with your loss. We cannot believe that you will no longer come back to your native home, that you won’t smile with your charming smile. You always smiled. You were like a ray of sunshine. We love you, and there’s not a moment when I don’t think of you. In every conversation, you are with us, Andriyko said, Andriyko did… It’s unbelievable that you’re gone,” wrote the mother of the deceased, Oleksandra Viktorivna.
Posthumously, soldier Andriy Romanovych Balan was awarded the Order of Courage, 3rd degree, and the “For the Defense of Ukraine” badge.
The young soldier was buried at the Alley of Glory Cemetery in the town of Mala Vyska, Kirovohrad region.
Andriy is survived by his family and friends, who mourn him deeply.