Born on September 16, 1996 in the city of Chuguiv, in 2011 he graduated from secondary school No. 7, and later, in 2014, from the Chuguiv Vocational Lyceum and obtained the profession of an electric and gas welder. In childhood and adolescence, he loved to play football. He was a player of one of the Chuguiv football teams.
After graduating, Valeriy worked for some time as an operator at the company "Uterm Ukraine", but the escalation of the conflict in eastern Ukraine prompted him to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine in early 2015. He could not stand aside from the events unfolding in the country.
Thus, from February 2015 until his death in 2025, Valery was in the army. He became a professional soldier. During 2015-2020, he took direct part in hostilities in Luhansk and Donetsk regions ten times. In February 2015, he was mobilized by the Industrial RTCC and SP of the city of Kharkiv and was sent to serve in the 92nd separate mechanized brigade.
After the end of his contract in February 2018, he was discharged to the reserves, but in September 2018 he again went into contract service and continued to perform combat missions in the area of the Joint Operations Forces, together with his comrades from the 92nd Separate Brigade.
During the fighting in the Luhansk region, he received a concussion and in September 2019 was discharged to the reserve, but could not stay away from the events in the state for long and returned to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Now military fate connected him with the 93rd separate mechanized brigade "Kholodny Yar". But the concussion made itself felt, and in March 2020 he was discharged to the reserve. For two years, he again worked as an operator at the company "Uterm Ukraine".
A full-scale war could not leave aside a person who had extensive combat experience at that time. And already in March 2022, Valery, through the Chuguiv RTCC and SP, voluntarily went to defend the Motherland. During the year, his combat path was connected with the 54th separate mechanized brigade named after Hetman Ivan Mazepa and the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
While participating in the battles for the liberation of the Kharkiv region, in June 2022, Valery received another wound, but after a short treatment in the city of Kharkiv, he went to fight again.
In October 2022, he was seriously wounded in the battles for the city of Bakhmut and was treated in the city of Dnipro. In March 2023, Valery was forced to resign due to health reasons, receiving the status of a person with a disability as a result of the war.
While in reserve, Valery could not watch the enemy make attempts to destroy Ukraine, and therefore, despite the fact that after his injury he had every reason not to go to war, in July 2025, Valery voluntarily returned to combat through the Industrial RTCC and the Joint Venture of the city of Kharkiv. He continued his service as commander of the 1st detachment of the 2nd mortar platoon of the 2nd mortar battery of the 22nd separate motorized infantry battalion of the 92nd separate assault brigade named after Kosh Ataman Ivan Sirko.
Circumstances of death:
Since May 2024, when the Ukrainian troops were able to push the enemy out of the settlement of Liptsy, they continue to hold the village and the surrounding areas, preventing the enemy from advancing further. But the enemy did not give up his plans and continued to try to attack this settlement, because it is of important strategic importance due to its location on the heights, which allows controlling the surrounding territory. On October 11, 2025, the enemy intensified the shelling of the defenders' combat positions. Valeriy Puhalsky was also in one of them. During the next shelling of the enemy's combat positions, Valeriy received an explosive injury incompatible with life.
«"Valery was an exemplary soldier, remained faithful to his military oath until the last, worthily defended the territorial integrity and state sovereignty of Ukraine, and died as a Hero" - such were the comments from his comrades and his commanders during the burial ceremony.
For his conscientious performance of military duty, high professional skills, personal courage, dedication and resilience, Valery Puhalsky was repeatedly encouraged by commanders of all levels. In 2016, he received the commemorative medal "For the Defense of Happiness.".
The funeral ceremony with full military honors took place on October 18, 2025 in the city of Chuguiv on the Alley of Memory.
The defender is survived by his grandmother, mother, and brother.