Yaroslav Mykhailovych was 49 years old. He was retired officer, had own business, however, from the beginning of holding of anti-terrorist operation, he voluntarily went on front. He served in volunteer battalion and then headed reconnaissance platoon of separate battalion of mechanized formation. On August 18, 2015, he was killed during performing combat task.

On November 25, 2015, according to the Decree of President of Ukraine № 663/2015, First Lieutenant Chalyi Yaroslav Mykhailovych was posthumously awarded with the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi 3rd degree for loyalty to oath of allegiance, for personal courage and high professionalism displayed in protecting of state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.