In Vinnytsia, a number of items were stolen from the grave of Azovstal defender Nazariy Hryntsevich
31 March 14:29
At the Sabariv-1 cemetery in Vinnytsia, unknown persons robbed the grave of Azovstal’s youngest defender, Nazariy Hryntsevych (call sign Grenka).
This was reported by the police of Vinnytsia region, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
The mother of the fallen soldier appealed to law enforcement. She reported that unknown persons had stolen a wooden mace and three candles.
In social media, Nazariy’s mother, Marianna Hryntsevych, said that the stolen candles were expensive, “not for three hryvnias,” and the mace was brought from Transcarpathia and bolted to the grave, “because everything is stolen.”
Investigators opened criminal proceedings over the incident under Part 2 of Article 297 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – desecration of a grave, other burial place or the body of the deceased. The sanction of this article provides for up to five years in prison.
Law enforcement officers are identifying those involved in the criminal offense.
As a reminder, this is not the first theft from Hrynetsovych’s grave. In June, the mother of the deceased defender said that a toy dog was taken from the grave, which the woman had given to Nazariy when he was 1.6 years old. The next day, after public outrage, the toy was returned.
Who is Nazariy Hryntsevych?
Nazariy Hryntsevych (call sign Hrenka), originally from Vinnytsia region, was a paramedic and the youngest defender of Azovstal in Mariupol.
In the spring of 2022, Hryntsevych defended Mariupol for three months as part of the then regiment, now the Azov Brigade. In May, he was taken prisoner by Russia. He spent more than four months in a colony in the temporarily occupied territory of Donetsk region.
In September 2022, he was one of 215 Ukrainian soldiers who were released from captivity as part of a large exchange. He was awarded the Order “For Courage” of the III degree.
Nazariy Hryntsevych died in the war on May 6, 2024.
