A picturesque town of Iziaslav with more than a thousand years history is located in Khmelnytskyi oblast. Iziaslav is known for numerous historical sights. But for the scouts, this city has its own glorious history. In Soviet times, the 8th separate Special Forces brigade, rightly considered one of the best in the USSR, was stationed in Iziaslav. During the years of Afghan war 1979-1989, three scouts of the brigade were awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union – Captain Horoshko Ya.P., Senior Lieutenant Onishchuk O.P. (posthumously) and Junior Sergeant Islamov Yu.V. (posthumously). The legal successor of the brigade is the 8th separate Special Forces regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and Colonel Yaroslav Horoshko stood at the origins of the establishment of the Special Forces units of the DIU.
Despite the fact that many different military units were deployed in the town, the scouts have always been icons for local boys, and there was no end to the fellows willing to make a "step to the sky" in the "Cascade" club of the local school No.2. Many of those who have studied at the school No. 2 and participated in "Cascade" stood at the defense of Ukraine against Russian terrorist invaders. One of such warriors was Oleksandr Kushniruk.
Oleksandr Kushniruk was born in Iziaslav, studied at the above-mentioned school No. 2 and was a participant of the "Cascade" club. Consciously and consistently, he walked to his goal and achieved it – he became an officer-scout. Oleksandr took part in rebuffing the Russian military aggression. In December 2014, Major Kushniruk was killed while carrying out a combat mission in the ATO area.
According to the Decree of the President of Ukraine from March 14, 2015, No. 144/2015, Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Kushniruk was posthumously awarded the Order of Bohdan Khmelnitskyi, IIIrd degree, for personal courage and high professionalism, showed in the defense of the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Oleksandr Kushniruk was a real son of his people, an ardent patriot and a fearless man. He died as a hero, defending the independence of our country. Today, the secondary school No. 2 – lyceum of the Iziaslav town bears his name. In order to commemorate Oleksandr Kushniruk, a charitable action was announced to raise funds to make a bust of the deceased officer, which is planned to install on the territory of the school.