Roman "Sova" Tarasiuk was a fan of the "Arsenal" (Kyiv) football club.
Roman Serhiyovych Tarasiuk was born on November 9, 1994, in Kryvyi Rih (Dnipropetrovsk region). He attended school No. 41, after which he enrolled in Kryvyi Rih Vocational School No. 29, where he qualified as an electric and gas welder. From childhood, he was passionate about skateboarding, loved traveling, and drawing. He could sit for a long time in silence, bringing a conceived drawing to life. He spent his youth in informal circles in his hometown. Skateboarding, punk music, and his first tattoos. For Kryvyi Rih in the early 2010s, this was somewhat defiant, but he never shied away from politely explaining himself to those who questioned his appearance, or defending his stance with his fists if the situation demanded it.
In 2019, his musical interests and friends in subcultural circles led Roman to join the fan movement of the capital's "Arsenal." Together with his fellow fans, he participated in various football-related adventures.
In civilian life, Roman was a highly skilled tattoo artist, well-known both in Ukraine and abroad. He also worked at one of Kyiv's cultural spaces, widely known within the underground music scene. Having started actively engaging in sports as an adult, he couldn't imagine his life without the gym and intense workouts, especially loving CrossFit.
Taking up arms in the first month of the full-scale war, Roman initially joined the 135th Territorial Defense Battalion. He fought as part of the volunteer unit "Kaifaryky," which comprised friends and "friends of friends." After that, he served in the 6th Detachment of Special Operations Forces. Later, the unit transferred to the 78th Separate Air Assault Regiment, where Roman began his path as a commander, and even later, he became a soldier in one of the special units of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense (GUR MOD). After the defense of the capital, he participated in the Kharkiv counteroffensive, and was involved in combat operations in the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson directions, as well as in the Donetsk region.
In 2023, he conceived the "Ukraine or Death" initiative, which began with the release of its own merchandise. The project combined Roma's passion for tattooing and illustration with the priorities that defined his path – both personal and military. Freedom. Equality. Love. Unwavering principles – and a readiness to defend them to the very end. Devotion: to family, to like-minded people, and thus to everyone fighting for the country. According to his loved ones, Roman was always a pillar of support for his family. He worried about his relatives, though he remained outwardly calm. He was a strong and brave person.
His comrades recall that "Sova" always stood his ground until the end. He never backed down, always maintaining a good sense of humor. Energetic and cheerful, he was the heart of the unit and knew how to lift the spirits of his comrades-in-arms during the toughest moments. During his service, he was awarded the President of Ukraine's "For the Defense of Ukraine" decoration, as well as a firearm.
Roman Tarasiuk died on May 26, 2025, in a battle with an enemy group during an operation in the Donetsk region. After he departed for his last mission, a comrade found three letters addressed to his family on the windowsill of his room. Anticipating fierce battles, Roman left important words for his loved ones. He is buried in the Forest Cemetery in Kyiv. He was posthumously awarded the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, 3rd class.
Eternal glory to the Hero!
