Toy dog returned to grave of 21-year-old Ukrainian soldier Hrinka after his mom's pleas
A toy dog, which is a family heirloom, has been returned to the grave of Nazarii Hryntsevych, alias Hrinka ("Toast"), a fallen Ukrainian soldier from the Azov regiment.
Mariana, Nazarii’s mom, bought this toy dog with her first paycheck when the boy was a year and a half old. When the 21-year-old defender of the Azovstal plant in the city of Mariupol died in combat, she placed the toy on his grave.
On 6 June Mariana noticed that the burial place of her son in the city of Vinnytsia was desecrated: the toy valued by the family most was gone.
"When Nazar was little, I had to start working. I earned a salary of 700 hryvnias [about US$17] and bought a [toy] dog which cost 500 hryvnias for him. Everyone was shocked that I worked day and night to feed my child.
And now some bastards stole it from the grave! Take the food, drink, do whatever you want, but why steal the dog? Bring it back or I’ll curse you!" Mariana wrote on social media.
Mariana also turned to local authorities of Vinnytsia, demanding to put the Alley of Glory in order. The next day, right after the theft was made public, Mariana noticed that the toy was returned.
"I’m happy! I cried and pleaded for it! The dog is here. You can eat and drink [everything left on the grave] but do not touch what is sacred!" Mariana said.
Background:
- Nazarii Hryntsevych, alias Hrinka, was one of the youngest defenders of the Azovstal plant during the battle of Mariupol. He went through captivity and returned to the combat zone.
- After the liberation from captivity, soldiers who went through the defence of Mariupol and the Azovstal plant formed a new unit called Contact 12, in which Hryntsevych was the commander of the platoon of optical observers. The 21-year-old soldier was killed in combat on 6 May 2024 on the Luhansk front in the Serebrianka Forest. The farewell ceremony was held in the city of Vinnytsia on 10 May.
Support UP or become our patron!
