Viktor Hurniak

Viktor Hurniak studied at 27 Ternopil secondary school and Technical college Ternopil Ivan Pul'uj National Technical University. Distinctions recorded are Order for Courage 3rd Class of Ukraine, People's Hero of Ukraine, Hero of Ukraine, Order of the Gold Star and honorary citizen of Ternopil Oblast.

Hurniak attended public school #27 in Ternopil, then the Technical College of the Ternopil Ivan Pul'uj National Technical University. After university, he worked for the Ternopil newspaper 20 minutes, edited a Plast periodical The Blossom of Ukraine (Цвіт України). Headed a Youth Civic Organization "Foundation for Regional Initiatives" and worked as a press secretary for the Ternopil chapter of the political party "PORA". At some point, he married his wide Iryna and lived in Lviv. He has a daughter, Yustyna.

Viktor joined Plast at the age of 14. He belonged to a group "Grey Wolves", which was part of the troop #29 named after Yuriy Starosolskyi. In 2004, he became one of the co-founders and the first troop leader of the troop #77 named after Ivan Havdyda. Later, he joined the "Order of the Iron Spur" Plast fraternity named after Sviatoslav the Conqueror. He also led a scout group "Eagles". Served as Deputy Head for Educational Programs in local (municipal level) and district (regional level) Plast chapters. Directed the communications division of the Ternopil chapter. Organized numerous events and activities, and served as the commander-in-charge of the national (all-Ukrainian) camp "Legion-11".

In the last several months of his life, Viktor served first as a supply volunteer and later as a military volunteer in the "Aidar" battalion on the front lines of the War in Donbass. At first, Viktor helped collect funds, purchase and transport the necessary supplies and equipment to the fighters of "Aidar" and other battalions operating in the war zone. In the summer of 2014, he decided to join the ranks of "Aidar". Viktor died on 19 October 2014 as a result of a wound sustained from a mortar shell. He came under fire while transporting the wounded troops to safety in the vicinity of checkpoint #32, near the village of Smile, Luhansk region.

On 21 October, Viktor's native city of Ternopil gave him a hero's farewell: hundreds of Ternopilians greeted the funeral caravan at the city limits, to escort Viktor to the building where he had lived for many years and pay their last respects. In the evening, a memorial service was held at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of BVM. On 22 October 2014, a memorial service was held at the Saints Peter and Paul Garrison Church in Lviv, after which Viktor was buried at the Lychakiv Cemetery, next to the Plast monument at the site of the Memorial to the Ukrainian Galician Army. Several thousand people came to Viktor's funeral.

Viktor Hurniak is recorded as having received Order for Courage 3rd Class of Ukraine, People's Hero of Ukraine and Hero of Ukraine, Order of the Gold Star.