Ten soldiers from Dnipro were posthumously awarded the "Defender of the Fatherland" medals.
In a solemn and heartfelt ceremony on the eve of Ukraine's Independence Day, the city of Dnipro came together to pay tribute to ten brave soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the ongoing conflict. These heroes were posthumously awarded the prestigious “Defender of the Fatherland” medals, a testament to their unwavering commitment to the defense of their homeland.
The ceremony, organized by the Dnipro City Council, was a poignant reminder of the immense sacrifices made by these soldiers and their families. As the sun set over the city, the medals were tenderly handed over to the grieving relatives of the fallen soldiers, who, in the face of unimaginable loss, continue to demonstrate incredible strength and resilience.
Let us take a moment to remember these valiant individuals, whose names will forever be etched in the Ukrainian history:
- Andriy Borovykov – platoon commander of the 231st battalion of the Separate Dnieper Defense Brigade;
- Ihor Kurkostryga with the call sign "Wiking" - platoon commander of the 3rd battalion of the 54th separate mechanized brigade named after Ivan Mazepa;
- Maksym Semenov – commander of the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade Siczesław;
- Denys Kotenko – soldier of the 3rd Independent Battalion of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army;
- Serhiy Ivzhenko – flamethrower of the radiation, chemical and biological defense forces of Ukraine;
- Yuriy Pecheritsa – senior sergeant, acting commander of the motorized infantry platoon of the 42nd battalion;
- Oleksandr Puzykov – senior gunner of the 1st company of the 24th “Aidar” battalion;
- Oleg Rusak with the call sign "Sailor" is a senior lieutenant of the 98th brigade of the TRO "Azov" of the Donetsk region;
- Kostyantyn Pikalov, callsign "Kot", is a senior soldier of the 53rd Brigade;
- Pawel Makhno with the call sign "Makhno" is a sergeant of the 93rd OMBR "Kholodnyjar", a mechanized battalion gunner.