Roman Halas was born on December 1, 1975, in Sokal, Lviv Oblast. He finished Sokal school №1 with honors. After graduation, he entered the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv where he studied at the Department of Geography. Having got married, Roman moved to Mlyniv. He worked at the factory in Lutsk. During the fourth wave of conscription in February 2015, he joined the Armed Forces where he served as a platoon commander of the 16th Motorized Infantry Battalion, a senior lieutenant. Unfortunately, his officer path turned out to be rather short.
On August 8, 2015, thirty-nine-year-old Roman Halas died in the fight near Artemivsk.
In the morning of August 11, the coffin with Roman was delivered to his family nest in Mlyniv, where he had been living, making plans and fulfilling them during the last 17 years. After the wake, Roman’s body was moved to Sokal.
Roman Halas was buried in the new cemetery alongside the other two heroes who lost their lives in the counter-terrorist operation, Viktor Syvak and Roman Lan.
He left a wife and a daughter.
According to the decision of the Town Council of Mlyniv, the Alley of Tereshkova was renamed after Roman Halas.
On April 9, 2017, the Bishop of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church Viktor posthumously awarded Roman the First Class Cross For Merit. The hero received it for the demonstration of patriotism, valor, and heroism in the protection of Ukraine from the Russian invaders and terrorists.
Publications about Roman Halas
Farewell, the Falcon from Sokal
The beginning of the second decade of August plagued Mlynivschyna in mourning: on August 8, during the fighting near Artemivsk, the commander of the platoon of the 16th separate motorized infantry battalion, a senior lieutenant, a native of Sokal, the 39-year-old Roman Halas, was killed.
The head of the district administration Alla Cherniy issued an order on a three-day complaint in the settlements of the district. The sad band of pain in the family of Irina Halas one more time infuriated by pain, arguing: the trouble does not go alone. Iryna had lost her brother, and later the sad news came from Donbass: Roman Korets, her cousin from Volyn, died. And now again, the trials with immeasurable grief, regret, and despair – the enemy’s fragments have shortened the age of a beloved man. His wife became a widow, the daughter Maya became an orphan, the world of hopes of his parents narrowed and became full of sadness and sorrow.
Halas Roman was born on December 1, 1975 in Sokal, Lviv Oblast. He studied at Sokal secondary school №1 and graduated it with a gold medal. He studied at the Faculty of Geography of Lviv National University of Ivan Franko. After marriage, he moved to Mlyniv, and worked in Lutsk at the factory. During the fourth wave of mobilization in February 2015, he was taken to the army. Unfortunately, his officer’s way was short. He was killed.
In the morning of August 11 the coffin with Roman’s body was sent to his home in Mlyniv, where the last 17 years he was building his family nest and plans for his future. After the farewell in Mlyniv the coffin was transported to Sokal, Lviv Oblast.
In mourning speeches of the abbot of the temple Taras Varvaruk and the head of the district administration Alla Cherniy were presented grief, sorrow, compassion for the family, a clear reminder of the Roman, and a request to pray for him because he died for Ukraine, for each of us. Thousand of people came to farewell with Roman.
About 15.00. pm. the coffin with his body was met in Sokal in Lviv Oblast.
Roman was buried at the new cemetery in Sokal, near two other Sokal heroes who died in the area of ATO : Sivak Victor and Lan Roman.
The Mourning Day was also announced in Sokalshhyna.
Farewell, the Falcon from Sokal! Eternal memory and glory to you, Roman!
Vitaliy Tarasyuk
The hero came to life on canvas
The war in Donbass and its victims cause mental resistance to compatriots, because in a slaughter, caused by pro-Russian separatists and Kremlin’s world-haters, “the blossom” of the Ukrainian nation is dying. To this misfortune reacted also the artist from Mlyniv Nina Avgustin. She began to perpetuate on the canvas the heroes who perished in the East of Ukraine. And the first hero was Roman Galas from the district center, who met the death in Donbass in August of the last year – Ukraine’s defender in uniform, above him is the image of Jesus Christ in a crown of thorns, and from the bottom – in indescribable grief, the mother extends his hands to the face, as if wants to ask the sky: what is happening on the earth, how to protect it from the war and deaths, how to save lives to the sons of Ukraine?
On the picture dominate red colours because the defenders of Ukraine are still shedding their blood protecting our native land and the territorial integrity of our country. The glorious Ukrainian knights are killed there: in the front line on the sad wings of sorrow and pain from the Donbas there was a tragic news – in the battle with the enemy of Ukraine, was deadly wounded Oleksii Kirys.
- In the fights for Ukraine in the East, died five our countrymen. Why does Roman Halas open a series of your paintings? – I asked Nina Nikolaevna.
- Perhaps because the light of his Christian heart settled in the souls of people who communicated with him. The spiritual flashes of Roman also noticed the priest of the local church Taras Varvaruk, and it was mentioned during the funeral of the knight of Ukraine.
Actually, in the series “Golgotha of Ukraine” Nina Avgustin wants to capture all the heroes who made their heads in the war against pro-Russian bandits. And the first assistant in this case is the daughter Maria Rostislavivna. When the mother is tired of her long-term tension and fatigue, the daughter takes the brush in her hands. It is believed that the family duo will embody the conceived on the canvas.
And soon mother and daughter will paint a portrait of Petro Polycyak – the glorious “cyborg” from Borbyn.
Vitalii Tarasyuk, pictures taken by Vitalii Tarasyuk
He gave his life for Ukraine
To the anniversary of the death of Roman Halas
On the eighth of August this year, a year ago, as the commander of the platoon of the 16th separate motorized infantry battalion, Senior Lieutenant Roman Halas, was killed near Artemivsk in the Donetsk region during the execution of the combat mission. A year ago, Mlynivshhyna for the fourth time since the beginning of the anti-terrorist operation in the East of Ukraine was wrapped in black scabby sadness. A year ago, the citizens in the deep sorrow for the first time farewell to an officer who gave his life for Ukraine. In unspeakable sadness were the mother, wife, daughter, all relatives, friends, fellow villagers of the hero. It is an unmeasured sorrow for his family.
Last year in December, Roman Halas should have become 40 years old. Unfortunately, from August 8, 2015, this date for his family and friends will be shrouded with sorrowful sadness – for them he will always be 39 years old and he will never be forty.
For those who were not in the zone of ATO, it is difficult to imagine a situation in which Ukrainian soldiers are present day by day, defending the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Obviously, there are not scattered with pathetic statements and political slogans. On the other hand, in whatever of the most attractive and most patriotic word wrappers we did not bury death in the war, for mother, father, wife, d
aughter, brother or sister, the death of a native person – the first irreplaceable pain, the most expensive loss, spiritual vacuum from which nobody and nothing fill up until their age on earth. How do they live with this heritage? Therefore, mindful of the deceased officer, we must capture the attention and care of those who throughout life will bear the mental burden of premature loss in the war.
He studied at Sokal secondary school №1 and graduated it with a gold medal. He knew the French language perfectly. He was the blossom of our country but unfortunately he is dead now. By the decision of the eleventh session of the 7th convocation of Mlyniv village council number 409 the Tereshkova lane was named after Roman Halas. And now he has the rank of the honored citizen of Mlynivshhyna.
Everyone who knew Roman Halas remember him and pray for his soul. Let it become our little spiritual contribution to the relay race in the memory of the hero of the war in the East of Ukraine.
Vitalii Tarasyuk
To Roman with a bow
We were departing at 6 am, because the road is very far and the church service in Sokal would begin at 9th. As soon as the bus moved, the youth choir of the Christian camp of St. Michael’s Church sang “Our Father”, blessing the road, because the way of traveling was through the three regions: our, Volyn and Lviv regions. However, the purpose of the present in the car did not concern these ordinary inconveniences. Homeland and people went to worship the memory of Roman Galas, son of Lviv region, resident of Mlyniv, warrior-protector of Ukraine!
So, the way is not close but life is going on. Three hours passed quickly enough: what does morning coolness mean! I was the first time in this town so I could not find the right way.
The abbot of the St. Michael’s Church, Father Taras, has negotiated something with his local father Yaroslav at the altar. Our young Christians were in embroidered clothes.
I have often been in Greek-Catholic churches, they differ from the Orthodox, I would say, with a modest choral songwriter. Our young choristers organically brighten the service – they just sang it! And the very fact of the combination of sending two Christian denominations was a kind of symbol: before the memory of the heroes, we are always the only ones in front of their glory!
There were a lot of people who knew Roman Halas and who wanted to farewell.
“There is no greater respect,” said the father Yaroslav in his sermon, “than to give up his life for the salvation of the Motherland. So Roman has the right to be called the Hero, because he gave his head for the defense of Ukraine .
The commander of the battalion noted that despite of his unmilitary profession, Roman surprisingly quickly mastered military science, becoming a true combat officer.
“Roman always honestly and diligently performed combat missions,” assured the commander. Forgive me – mom, wife, relatives – because perhaps my fault is in his death …
From the grave of Roman, the abbots moved to the grave of his godfather, who was a UPA soldier and spent a decade and a half wandering in Moscal concentration camps. Two soldiers – two fates and one family – Ukraine.
Roman Halas is the honored citizen of Mlynivshhyna and the town of Sokal.
Oleksandr Zhoglo
