Andrii "Chip" Chepeliev was a dedicated fan of the Kryvbas football club.

Andrii Eduardovych Chepeliev was born on December 23, 1997, in Kryvyi Rih. He attended School No. 91 before enrolling at Kryvyi Rih National University. He had a passion for football from a young age and enjoyed sports as a hobby, though he never pursued a professional athletic career.

He began supporting Kryvbas in elementary school, showing true loyalty to his hometown club. He later joined the organized fan movement. Friends remember Andrii as always being clever and resourceful; he once set a personal record during an away match against Dynamo by getting 10 people into the stadium on a single ticket.

In civilian life, he wanted to pursue both creative and business ventures. These were equally important goals for him, and he was steadily working toward them, backed by his strong administrative skills.

Gifted at writing, he began his journey as a rap artist in 2019. For him, it was more than just a hobby—it was a way to express his feelings and share his worldview. Andrii was also active in community service as a member of the NGO "SLON." He dreamed of starting a family but did not live to marry.

Andrii took up arms on the first day of the full-scale war. He served in the 129th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade. Starting as a private, he always strove for more, constantly learning new specialties and mastering new skills. He later carried out combat missions with the 101st Territorial Defense Brigade, helping to liberate the Donetsk, Kherson, and Sumy regions, and participated in the Kursk operation.

His fellow soldiers remember "Chip" as a talented, creative, and cheerful person. Even in the darkest moments, he always found the right words to lift everyone's spirits.

On August 20, 2025, Andrii Chepeliev was not scheduled to head to the front lines, but he went to assist his comrades. Their vehicle was ambushed by the enemy, and "Chip" saved the life of a 19-year-old fellow soldier by pushing him out of the back of the truck. He is buried at the Alley of Heroes in the Central Cemetery of Kryvyi Rih.

Eternal honor to the Hero!

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