Andriy Babinskyi, Founder of the Famous Megamarch in Vyshyvankas, Killed at the Front

On the front, Andriy Babinskyy, founder of the famous Megamarch in vyshyvankas, was killed

On Tuesday, 8 August, during fighting with Russian occupants, community leader, senior soldier, combat medic 80-nd Separate Assault Battalion of the National Guard, Andriy Babinskyy, was killed. He was the inspiration and director of the famous Megamarch in vyshyvankas.

The Megamarch in vyshyvankas community on Facebook reports Andriy Babinskyy’s death.

Andriy Babinskyy defended Ukraine with a weapon from the first days of Russia's full-scale invasion, initially as part of the 97-th battalion of the 107-th brigade of the Territorial Defense, as a combat medic, and he fought in Kharkiv region and near Bakhmut. In the summer 2023 he transferred to the 80-th Operational Brigade, participating in the Ukrainian counteroffensive in the Zaporizhzhia direction.

Andriy Babinskyy died 8 in August in combat near the Chervona Krynytsia checkpoint, Orihivskyi district, Zaporizhzhia region, from a Russian artillery strike with cluster munitions.

Photo: @Мегамарш in vyshyvankas/Facebook

“Andriy was an exceptionally talented person. A reliable friend, always witty, sincere, quick-witted, energetic, goal-oriented. After 2008 in a few years, the Megagrandiose March in vyshyvankas grew into a thousands-strong, iconic international event. Andriy loved and understood audiovisual art, especially music. He sang very well, played musical instruments, and photographed on film. He was also an excellent cook and a wonderful storyteller,” reads the statement.

Farewell to Andriy will take place 11 in August in the town of Sokyryany, Chernivtsi region, where he was born.

Andriy Babinskyy founded the national Megamarch in vyshyvankas movement during his studies at the National Aviation University. The vyshyvanka march took place in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities twice a year—spring and autumn. Thousands of Ukrainians participated in the marches.

Photo: @Андрій Savchuk/Facebook

Andriy Babinskyy was one of the popularizers of the game Kryivka—patriotic alternative to Mafia, co-organizer of a number of Kyiv and other cities cultural and art events: concerts, festivals, lectures, film screenings, ethn evenings and apartment gigs. In 2013−2014 years he was an active participant in the Revolution of Dignity.

After completing university, Andriy Babinskyy developed Ukrainian science and from 2013−2017 years worked as a junior researcher at the Institute of Biochemistry named after O.V. Palladin of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Andriy, in particular, studied the antitumor effects of vitamin E (tocopherol).