Yana Mykolaivna Rykhlitska ( Ukrainian: Яна Миколаївна Рихліцька, call sign "Yara"; 2 April 1993, Vinnytsia — 3 March 2023, near the city of Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast ^[1]) was a Ukrainian volunteer, soldier, combat medic of the 93rd Mechanized Brigade ^[1] of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and a participant of the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Biography

Yana Rykhlitska was born on 2 April 1993 in Vinnytsia. ^{[1] [2]}

She graduated from the Faculty of Economics and Law of the Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University (2015). ^[2] During her student years, she was actively involved in sports and was a candidate for master of sports in sambo and judo. Rykhlitska also worked in the IT industry. ^[2]

In wake of the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, she began active volunteer work. In May 2022, she became a combat medic of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade "Kholodnyi Yar", saving many lives in the stabilization center in Bakhmut. ^{[1] [2]}

Days after being photographed in action, she was killed by Russian artillery fire on 3 March 2023, during the evacuation of the wounded near the city of Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast. ^{[1] [3] [4]}

She was buried on the Alley of Heroes in her hometown ^{[1] [2]} and was survived behind her parents and her significant other. ^[2]

Awards

• Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, 3rd class (7 April 2023, posthumously) ^[5]

References