Born on March 29, 1986 in the city of Prikordony, Prikordony District, Primorsky Krai, into the family of a military man. He arrived in the city of Chuguev with his parents in May 1990.
He studied at the Klugino-Bashkir Specialized General Education School of grades I-III with in-depth study of foreign languages. After graduating from 9th grade, he studied at the Chuguevo-Babchansky Forestry Vocational College. Upon graduation from the college in 2006, he received the qualification of a professional junior bachelor in the specialty of Agroengineering (mechanical technician).
In April 2006, he was drafted by the Chuguyiv Regional Military District for military service. He served as part of the Orsha Training Guards Orders of Suvorov, Kutuzov and Alexander Nevsky Center of the State Border Service of Ukraine. He held the positions of rifleman, driver-electrician. In February 2007, Denis transferred to military service under a contract in the 4th Kharkiv Border Detachment. During the same period, he studied at the Petro Vasylenko Kharkiv National Technical University of Agriculture. Upon graduation in 2009, he received a basic higher education in the field of "Engineering Mechanics". After the end of the military contract, since March 2010, his work has been associated with the enterprises of the city of Kharkiv. For a long time, he worked as a fitter-assembler at JSC "Plant "Electrozahmash", and later his work was associated with construction. He worked as a construction and assembly foreman. Over time, he met his beloved. The family had two daughters: Karina and Zlata. As his wife Alesya says, "Denys spent a lot of time with his beloved family. He did household chores and planned for the future. He was a loving father and husband. He loved cars and knew how to repair them and everything that broke down. Denys dreamed of a motorcycle. Denys was responsible, reliable, courageous, honest, and also kind, emotionally mature and capable of empathy.".
The full-scale war did not allow the dream to be fully realized. On August 19, 2024, Denis was mobilized by the Chuguiv RTCC and SP, selected for military service during mobilization in the 92nd separate assault brigade named after the Kosh Ataman Ivan Sirko. Previously, he was sent for military retraining to the 239th Novomoskovsk combined-arms training ground. Upon completion of training, he was appointed to the position of gunner of the 1st assault detachment of the 1st assault platoon of the 12th assault company of the 4th assault battalion of the anti-tank platoon of the assault battalion of the 92nd separate assault brigade named after the Kosh Ataman Ivan Sirko.
During August-November 2024, the unit where Denys served participated in the Ukrainian combined arms operation on the border territory of Russia in the Kursk region. In early November 2024, Denys was on short leave. On November 19, 2024, he returned to his unit, which was located in the Sudzhansky district of the Kursk region.
Circumstances of death:
On November 23, 2024, at approximately 11:00 p.m., Denis called his wife and informed her that he was going on a combat mission. This was the last call in his life. Denis did not return from the combat mission on November 27, 2024. And since his body remained in the territory occupied by the enemy, his wife was sent Notification No. 398 on December 2, 2024, stating that her husband had gone missing in the area of the settlement of Kamyshevka, Sudzhansky district. Most likely, the enemy buried the bodies of the deceased who remained in the territory occupied by him. On September 10, 2025, the bodies of 50 people were delivered to the Zaporizhia Regional Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination of the Zaporizhia Regional Council from the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine, in accordance with the Procedure for the Transfer and Repatriation of Bodies (Remains). On 12.11.2025, the forensic medical examination established that among the bodies of unidentified deceased servicemen was the body of Denis. On December 02, 2025, the wife received a notification that her husband died on November 27, 2024. Thus, almost a year after his death on the shield, the defender - Gorbyk Denis Viktorovych - returned to his small homeland.
Denis was buried on December 8, 2025 at cemetery No. 18 in the city of Kharkiv.
The deceased defender of the Fatherland is survived by his mother, sister, wife, and two minor daughters. His father died in October 2024, when Denys first went on a combat mission as part of a unit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. His older brother died in childhood.
«"Denys selflessly and steadfastly carried out all orders and combat orders to protect the state, in particular, he participated in the defense of the village of Glyboke, Kharkiv district, Kharkiv region. He never complained about difficulties, heavy workload and fatigue, was able to make decisions independently and always chose his own path. He lived by service, always responsibly performed assigned tasks, treated colleagues and comrades with respect, was constantly ready, like a true senior soldier, to come to the rescue. He was a role model for everyone and a loyal friend" - this is how his comrades and friends characterize Denis.
For his conscientious performance of military duty, high professional skills, personal courage, dedication and resilience, Denys Horbyk was repeatedly encouraged by commanders of all levels. He had the state badge "War Veteran" and a certificate of a participant in hostilities.