Biography

He was born into a family of Ukrainian immigrants in New York. He was good at volleyball since childhood, which helped him get into the West Point Military Academy, which he graduated from in 1981. He served in the 75th Ranger Regiment and left the army with the rank of major in 1991. Rank in the US Army: volunteer.

He moved to Ukraine in the 1990s. He worked in the financial sector, in particular as an investment consultant. Markiyan was an active participant in the Revolution of Dignity, in particular, he took part in the fighting in the center of Kyiv on February 20, 2014, where he miraculously survived the shooting on Instytutska Street.

With the start of the war in eastern Ukraine, Paslavsky joined the 2nd Special Forces Battalion of the National Guard of Ukraine «Donbas» in April 2014. His call sign was «Franko» — in honor of Ivan Franko.

Markiyan Paslavsky died during the liberation of Ilovaisk on August 19, 2014, at the age of 55, after receiving three wounds to the back. He was buried on August 26, 2014, at the Askold's Grave in Kyiv. He is survived by his mother and brother.

By Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 557/2015 of September 25, 2015, he was awarded the Order of Danylo Halytskyi (posthumously) «for personal merits in defending the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and selfless service to the Ukrainian people.»