Remembering Alexander Hryanik: A Hero Who Sacrificed His Life for Ukraine
The young man was a dedicated supporter of the football club «Dynamo».
On June 7, the fifth Cup in memory of Azov fighter Alexander «Hryan» Hryanik was held in Kyiv.
This memorial event was organized by the parents of the defender along with his friends.
From a young age, Alexander was passionate about various sports, eventually choosing football. He often played with his peers and participated in multiple tournaments but later became involved in the fan movement.
He chose the «Dynamo» club, and it was with the football fans that Alexander began his struggle during the Revolution of Dignity.
«He would often say: „I’ll just go to watch, I’ll stand aside“. Later, I saw photos online of him throwing Molotov cocktails. He rarely talked about it, probably to keep us calm», — Olga Hryanik, Alexander's mother, recalled.
Immediately after the Revolution, the young man wanted to join the military, but his parents convinced him to finish university first. Eventually, Alexander insisted on his choice and completed basic training with «Azov».
«Hryan» tried his hand in various roles during his service: infantry, machine gunner, press service, and sniper unit «Signs».
Meanwhile, the family urged him to return to civilian life after six years of service. For him, this was a challenging and non-impulsive decision.
«For New Year 2022, he sent us a large Azov calendar and inside, he pasted his discharge report. We were very happy», — recalls Olga Hryanik, cherishing that moment.
However, as soon as the full-scale invasion began, Alexander did not hesitate to defend Kyiv and the region. Despite this, he longed to reach his brothers in the besieged Mariupol.
As soon as «Hryan» learned about the planned air breakthrough to the city, he agreed immediately. On the very first day in Mariupol, the fighter was wounded but refused hospitalization and stayed at «Azovstal».
Unfortunately, on May 8, the Russians struck the bunker where Alexander was located. The defender was buried in his hometown of Kyiv at the Lukyanivske Cemetery.
Despite everything, his family and friends find strength to honor «Hryan»'s memory through his beloved activities.
