Petro Drachuk was born on June 24th, 1967, in Ploske, Ostroh Raion, Rivne Oblast. He finished Ploske Comprehensive School and Shepetivka vocational training secondary school (Khmelnytsk Oblast). Since 1994, Petro had worked as a fitter in the branch of the major oil pipeline “Druzhba.” Shortly afterward, he worked as an operator of the gauge, automatic equipment, and telemechanic section in the oil pumping station “Novyny.”
A private Petro Drachuk was called up into the Armed Forces of Ukraine by the Recruiting Station of Ostroh Raion, Rivne Oblast, on February 5th, 2015. He was a soldier in the 1st Mortar Battery of the 1st Mechanized Battalion of the 93rd Mechanized Brigade.
On August 14th, 2015, Petro Drachuk was wounded due to shelling by multiple rocket launchers “Hrad” near the village of Opytne, Donetsk Oblast. Petro was taken to the I. Mechnykov hospital in the city of Dnipropetrovsk. Due to the received injuries, he died on August 16th, 2015. Volunteers brought the body of Petro Drachuk from Dnipro at 7 am. The whole village was in tears and on its knees while meeting their hero who gave his life for Ukraine, peace, and calms in our homes. Petro Drachuk was carried on arms to his home.
The deceased left a mother, a wife, and two children: a son and a daughter. According to the military canons, Petro Drachuk was buried in Ploske, Ostroh Raion, Rivne Oblast, accompanied by the national anthem performed by the wind orchestra salvo of the guard of honor along with his friends-hunters.
According to the Presidential Executive Order № 722/2015 on December 25th, 2015, he was posthumously awarded the Third Class Order For Bravery “for courage and selflessness demonstrated in defense of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, high professionalism, loyalty to the military oath.”
The memory of the heroes will live on forever
We met on the twenty-fifth Independence Day in Ostroh in an elevated mood, celebrations, festive concerts, and entertaining events. But nothing connects people like memory and misfortune. Today, it is one for all – an undeclared war, whatever we call it. Someone takes up arms and goes to defend his native land, and someone helps physically, financially, or morally. The nation can do the least for its heroes to make their names not become oblivious but serve as a clear example for future generations. The event began with the recitation of the poem “
Protecting the Motherland” by a teacher Sergei Gapanchak, and the song “Our heroes” performed by the ensemble “Kalynonka” (Head – director of the House of Culture Oleksandr Kravtsov), which, from the first words, the first chords reached to the hearts of those present. To support our brave warriors, both adults and children are united.
So to pay tribute to the fellow heroes, in many settlements of the Raion were organized open, warm-hearted meetings on the holiday eve. In Ploskiv Rural Council, the country’s memorial plaque was opened by the initiative of the village council. The chairman of Ostroh Oblastal State Administration, Bogdan Turovich, took part in the opening ceremony of the memorial plaque.
Zoya Gurko spoke about our compatriot with words of gratitude and pride, trepidation, and excitement. Sincere greetings on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Independence Day and the opening of the memorial plaque were from the chairman of the Ostroh Raion state administration, Bogdan Turovich: “As long as we are alive – the memory of our heroes will live. Honoring his memory is not just our holy duty; it is our honor and pride for real heroes. By Decree of the President dated December 25th, 2015, Petro Drachuk was posthumously awarded the Order “For Courage” of the 3rd Degree. The memory of our countryman who gave his life for a peaceful sky above Ukraine will forever live in the hearts of his relatives and friends.”
Ploskiv village chairman Petro Galimsky and the Head of the oil and pumping station “News” Roman Ortinsky, director of the Ploskiv DSS I-II, Zoya Gurko, media representatives, the mother, wife, children, war brothers, classmates, students, and school teachers, relatives, and villagers of the hero visited the event. Petro’s son Sergiy performed sincere words of gratitude for the support, understanding, help, and premortal bow for the father’s deed. The tears on the faces of those present seemed to say: “Heroes never die! Memory will live forever! “Presen
ters honored the deceased fellow villager Petro Rostyslavovich Drachuk with a minute of silence. Pastor of the Temple of the Nativity of the Virgin, Archpriest Fr. Yaroslav, held a memorial service and consecrated a comme morative plaque.
Finally, the community members put flowers on the memorial plaque to the songs performed by the Dzherelo ensemble.
Honoring the memory of Peter Drachuk is not just our holy duty; it is our pride for true heroes.
We want the combat operations in the ATO zone to end as soon as possible, and none of our compatriots would have to go there and leave their relatives in terrible anxieties and constant worries. As long as we are alive – the memory of our heroes will live.
Glory to Ukraine! Glory to heroes!