Biography

Anatolii Ivanovych Kozyr was born on May 16, 1954, in the village of Hroza, Kharkiv region. From his youth he was hardworking and dedicated to his community. After completing vocational school, he began his career in the local collective farm, working as a driver and tractor operator. Later he became a turner and asphalt worker in a road construction organization in Shevchenkove. His diligence and skill earned him respect among colleagues and neighbors.

Anatolii built a family life with his wife Valentyna, whom he met while working in the collective farm. Together they raised two children, Olha and Ihor. He was remembered as a caring father who valued family bonds and maintained close ties with relatives, including his nephew Andrii, a Ukrainian defender.

In later years, Anatolii retired but remained active in village life, supported by his children and grandchildren. During the occupation of Hroza, his daughter often helped him, and the family hoped for peace and stability after liberation.

On October 5, 2023, tragedy struck. Anatolii attended a memorial meal for his nephew Andrii in a café in Hroza. Russian forces launched a missile strike on the gathering, killing dozens of civilians. Among the victims were Anatolii himself, his son Ihor, his daughter Olha, and his grandson Ivan. He was 69 years old.

Initially buried near the site of the tragedy, Anatolii and his children were later reinterred in their native village of Hroza after the region was de‑occupied. He is remembered as a devoted father and grandfather, a man of resilience and labor whose life was cut short in his own community. His memory endures in his surviving grandson and relatives.