“His death will not be in vain”

Several thousand of people ga­thered at the main square of the city to commemorate the 39-year-old resident of the administrative center of Volyn.

At first people bid adieu to the killed soldier of the battalion of the territorial defense “Aidar” in the local funeral house. From there the funeral procession brought his body to the Theater Square.

Rustam Khamraiev was an Uzbek, who was wounded during Maidan events, and who went to fight to the east of the country after recovery. Self-defense activists from Volyn, who are as well serving in Aidar, came to bid farewell to their brother-in-arms. The title of the battalion is a Turk word that means “moon warrior,” “defender,” and in Luhansk oblast where Ukrainian servicemen are fighting there is a river with the same name.

Andrii Omelchuk, the deputy commander of the squadron “West” of the Aidar battalion, said that Rustam Khamraiev was killed in a battle during the fire from the large-caliber machine gun on June 17. An explosive bullet hit him in the head, and wounded one more soldier. According to the activist, this is the first time when Aidar fighters were shot from heavy armament. According to Omelchuk, the comrades-in-arms of the killed Rustam Khamraiev swore to take revenge for his death. They say his death would not be in vain.

Lutsk mayor Mykola Romaniuk said that the army volunteer statement of the killed soldier is still on his desk.

Rustam Khamraiev was buried in the Alley of Honorary Burials in Harazdzha village which is near Lutsk. The man left a 12-year-old son.