Vitalii Shum

December 10, 1984 — July 16, 2014

Soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, machine gunner of the 1st mechanized battalion of the 28th separate mechanized brigade. He guarded the military airfield near Mykolaiv.

According to the Decree of the President of Ukraine dated May 15, 2015, № 270/2015». On awarding state awards of Ukraine», he was awarded the Order «For Courage”» III class (posthumously).

He was awarded the medal «For the Defense of the Motherland» (posthumously). 

He was born in 1984 in the city of Chornomorsk. He studied at the Odesa State University of Internal Affairs.

He worked as a security guard, a welder, and then as a salesman in a shopping center. He was a dancer and a champion of Ukraine in modern dance.

A street was renamed in honor of Vitalii Shum in Chornomorsk, Odesa Oblast, and a grove of sakura trees was planted.

April 8, 2021 - awarded the title «Honorary Citizen of Chornomorsk» (posthumously).

In July 2020, Ukrposhta issued a stamp in honor of Vitalii Shum.

He was in the combat zone since the beginning of July 2014. He died in a battle in the border village of Marynivka (Shakhtarsk district). A convoy of 3 infantry fighting vehicle entered the village and encountered russian terrorists. Vitalii 's vehicle was hit by a tank shell.

Eternal Glory to the Heroes!