Pavlo Yashchyshchak, a veteran TV cameraman from Ternopil and serviceman in the UAF territorial defense briagade No. 105, died in the combat zone in Donetsk oblast on 5 January, Ternopil 1 reported in a Facebook post.
“The new year’s first days are tragic for our TV channels INTB and Ternopil 1. The heart of our cameraman Pavlo Yashchyshchak has stopped beating in the combat zone in Donetsk oblast. For us, no one is an ‘ex’… Pavlo, you stepped up to defend us in the first days of the full-scale invasion, you were too sincere and too demanding of everyone around you… You are real! And we are in much pain,” the channel’s post says.
Olena Naumenko, director of the TV channels Ternopil 1 and INTB, told Iryna Nebesna, the Institute of Mass Information’s regional representative, that Pavlo worked for them for about four years, first as a cameraman and then as a senior cameraman.
Pavlo was a cameraman with what then was the Ternopil Oblast Television and Radio Company in 2012 – 2016, Suspilne Ternopil reports.
Pavlo Yashchyshchak. Photo via Nadia Yashchyshchak–Kalinchuk on Facebook
Pavlo’s death was confirmed by the head of the Zboriv community, Ruslan Maksymiv, in a Facebook post.
“Yashchyshchak Pavlo, our neighbor born in Mlynvtsi village on 1 September 1990, died while serving in the army on 5 January 2026. Pavlo Myroslavovych stepped up to defend Ukraine in the very first days, fulfilling his military duty in good faith. He was a true patriot and a courageous warrior,” Ruslan Maksymiv wrote.
The liaison unit of the UAF territorial defense briagade No. 105 told the IMI representative that Pavlo Yashchyshchak had died on 5 January in a combat zone. He volunteered to enlist in the Ukrainian Armed Forces on 28 February 2022. He performed combat missions in Kharkiv and Donetsk oblasts since 23 April 2022 to 5 January 2026.
He spent some time organising and ensuring the functioning of a rifle company’s command and observation post in Kharkiv oblast. He arranged and maintained power supply and connection within the rifle company and interaction with other units, organised communications. He worked with various types of UAVs, was involved in aerial reconnaissance.
“On 3 March 2023, while conducting planned aerial reconnaissance, he prevented an enemy attack, having detected a gathering of the enemy’s manpower long before they approached the rifle company’s positions; thanks to this, the battle, which lasted about three hours, ended with significant losses and retreat for the enemy,” the liaison unit said.
On 26 August 2023, he received the rank of junior lieutenant and began running the battalion’s civilian – military cooperation group, establishing himself as a persistent, disciplined and experienced officer, the brigade added.
Pavlo Yashchyshchak’s funeral will take place on 11 January. The serviceman will be buried at the Mykulynetske cemetery in Ternopil.
