Ukrainian dissident and independence fighter, People's Deputy of Ukraine of the 1st, 2nd and 4th convocations Stepan Khmara died on Wednesday, February 21, at the age of 86, his wife Roksolana Khmara reported on Facebook.

"I don't want to believe it. I don't want to write this. My dearest husband died. That's all," she said.

"We all did everything we could and even more. We so wanted him to be with us when our Victory was proclaimed! I so wanted to see his happy face! His beautiful face! For he was so handsome even at 86. His blue eyes were no longer so pure blue, but still bottomless. He loved Ukraine and Ukrainians so much. He tore his soul and heart for it. And Ukraine will rise from the ashes, it will rise again! I know," Khmara said.

Stepan Khmara was born on October 12, 1937 in the village of Bobiatyn, Sokal district, Lviv voivodeship, Polish Republic, now Chervonohrad district, Lviv region, Ukraine. Fighter for the independence of Ukraine in the 20th century, human rights activist, dissident, long-term political prisoner of Soviet concentration camps.

In 2006 he received the title Hero of Ukraine. Knight of the Order of Freedom and Prince Yaroslav the Wise, V class. Chairman of the All-Ukrainian Committee for the Protection of Political Prisoners.

Since the restoration of Ukraine's independence, Khmara was elected twice more as a MP. He continued to fight for innocently convicted Ukrainians and political prisoners.

Active participant in the 2004 Orange Revolution, supporting Viktor Yushchenko.