Lviv, Ukraine — Artemy Dymid’s closest friends deployed his parachute and carefully straightened it over his grave. Red, silky material swaddled his coffin as it was lowered down.
men a lot soldiers themselves, covered a freshly dug hole with dirt. first shovels landed with hit.
The funeral for Mr. Smoked, a Marine died in action was first the funeral of day in Lviv, western city in Ukraine, where residents saw an inexorable stream of their sons are killed in war with Russia. By the end of Tuesday, three other freshly dug graves next to Mr. Dimid’s will be also be filled with young soldiers who died in battle for east of the country, hundreds of miles.
The funeral has begun in Greek Catholic Church, Eastern Branch of Catholicism, which is widespread in Lvov. Mr. Dimid father, a priest, delivered a eulogy. And then his mother voice thick with emotions, sang final Lullaby for her son.
Then the procession made the familiar journey from church to cityx main market area where tens of young people in scouting uniforms made up the guard of honor. Mr. Dimid, 27, was part of of scout of Ukraine organization with age of 7. Young children, teenagers and adults from group were there to say final goodbye.
At the bottom of square, four white posters announced details of in military funeral must take place in in city on tuesday, all for men killed in in battle for east of the country in recent weeks. Three of they never turned 30.
One young woman, wearing characteristic green scarf of scouts closed her eyes inhaled sharply and clenched her fists to hold back her tears as she joined slow procession for Mr Dimid.
Intelligence was just one part of his life. Mr. Dimid also loved to travel and adventure and extreme sports like parachute. His nickname was Kurka, which means chicken. Friends said Metallica music would more fitting for his funeral than military crying now play in Lviv Lychakiv cemetery daily.
“He one of the most decent men i ever met”, – said 26-year-old Dmitry Pashchuk. “He lived many lives in his 27 years old. People write books about characters like him, and maybe there will be books soon”.
Mr. Pashchuk, who before the war, owned a wine bar, served together with Mr. Dymid in a special operating unit of Ukrainian marines. They became like brothers in in last several months, he said.
At night of in attack that ended his friend’s life, Mr. Pashchuk said, he woke up from sound of explosion and soon knew there was something wrong. He immediately looked for Mr. Smokeyd and saw that another friend was giving him first to help. When he saw eyes he knew what it was bad.
“I was afraid to be near him,” he said slowly. “Because when I saw him, I felt that he would not survive.”
Mr. Dymyd soon died.
Mr. Paschuk said he had mixed feelings about returning to the front lines. in several days. He described the waves of emotions, but he said he wasn’t angry or vindictive.
“I don’t feel like I want to kill everyone because it happened,” Mr. Pashchuk said. “Thanks Kurke. He taught me remain tranquility.”
Roman Lozinsky, Marine, was a friend of Mr. Dimid for two decades, having met him when they were young scouts. Mr. Lozinsky, who is a member of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, voluntarily for in military three months ago and served in the same division as Mr. Dymid and Mr. Pashchuk.
He called his longtime friend “crazy”. with lust for life who raced back to Ukraine from a parachute jump in Brazil will enter military service when the war starts. Mr. Dimid wanted keep skydiving during the war and finally chance last month as part of a missionhis friends said.
It was Mr. Dimeed. brother Dmitry Dymid, who thought of parachute installation in his grave, Mr. Lozinsky said, in a hint of Mr. Dimid’s passion for Sport of parachute. brother, who is also soldier, received permission to attend the funeral, but returned to Donetsk. region in several days.
Like mourners slowly made them way gravediggers rammed from the cemetery down in earth on The grave of Mr. Dymyd in a strong mound.
There are three more more go.
