Danylo "Grach" Kandyba was a fan of FC Kryvbas (Kryvyi Rih) and a member of the "Jolly Gang" supporters group.

Danylo Serhiyovych Kandyba was born on October 21, 2002, in Kryvyi Rih. He attended School No. 130 before enrolling in the Kryvyi Rih Lyceum with Enhanced Military and Physical Training. Growing up in a military family, he was interested in everything related to service from an early age; his favorite toys were toy guns and soldiers. From the age of 14, he attended community organizations where he learned tactics, first aid, and military drills.

Since childhood, he practiced hand-to-hand combat, later moving on to kickboxing and skydiving, completing six jumps. It was during his time at the military lyceum in 2018 that Danylo joined the Kryvbas fan movement and the "Jolly Gang." He was encouraged to do so by the head of the lyceum, who remains a devoted fan and supporter of FC Kryvbas to this day.

The primary role model and guiding light in the young man's life was his father, Lieutenant Colonel Serhiy Kandyba (Hero of Ukraine, posthumous). At the age of 18, in 2020, Danylo signed a contract with the National Guard of Ukraine, choosing the path of a combat engineer. While serving, he also studied at the Kryvyi Rih branch of the Interregional Academy of Personnel Management (MAUP).

Danylo was on his first rotation in Vuhledar, Donetsk region, when the full-scale invasion began. After breaking out of encirclement, he returned home on May 1, 2022; just a day later, his father was killed while defending Mariupol, though the family would not learn of this until much later. Following this devastating loss, and at his mother's request, Danylo paused his service in December 2023 to focus on civilian life. He began manufacturing military gear and worked in humanitarian demining. However, his loved ones could see how difficult he found it to adjust to life outside the military.

During this time, Danylo met his beloved, Karina. According to her, he knew how to be present even when it seemed impossible. In every video and every message from the front, he created the feeling that he was right there with her. Yet, after a few months of civilian life, Danylo returned to the military, joining the "First Line" unit within the Timur Special Unit of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.

It was here that he truly excelled as a combat engineer, a warrior, and a leader. He took part in the landing on the Kinburn Spit, the operation at the Vovchansk Aggregate Plant, the defense of Pokrovsk and the Sumy region, the Kupyansk operation, and other missions that will remain classified for a long time. His brothers-in-arms remember "Grach" as a professional combat engineer, a consistently responsible soldier, and a man who was always striving to improve his skills and knowledge.

On July 12, 2025, while on a combat mission in the Sumy direction, Danylo's group was attacked by an enemy drone. The occupiers used chloropicrin, a substance banned by all international conventions, causing him to suffer burns over approximately 80% of his body, as well as chemical damage to his internal organs. For over three weeks, Ukrainian and German doctors fought for Danylo Kandyba's life, but on August 3, 2025, his heart gave out.

Eternal honor to the Hero.

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