Anatolii H. Ivchenko (Anhel)

Warrior Anatoliy Ivchenko (call sign Angel) was killed on March 25, 2023 near the village of Oleksandro-Shultyne in the Donetsk region. While carrying out a combat mission, the soldier received fatal shrapnel wounds to the head as a result of a hit by an enemy shell. The defender was 21 years old. Anatoliy was born in the village of Kalmazove, Kirovohrad region. He graduated from the Vilshanska secondary school. Then he studied to be an auto mechanic in Kyiv. In 2020, he was drafted into the National Guard of Ukraine, where he received training as a dog handler. His life was connected to the army. Even as a child, he loved to play war, adored military uniforms, and always asked his uncle to bring him a military uniform from the army. He was passionate about motorcycles. When the full-scale war began, the young man immediately decided to defend his homeland. He joined the ranks of the 28th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after the Knights of the Winter Campaign. He took the position of a rifleman-assistant grenadier and went to the front line. "He was always honest, kind, sincere, the best, the most sensitive brother and son. He loved his family and his country very much. He was always smiling, helping people. When he was fighting, he said: 'We must save the lives of our people, protect our borders. If not us, then who?!' My brother was a staunch patriot from childhood. We miss him very much," said the warrior's sister Ivanna. "Anatoliy was one of the first to decide to defend Ukraine. He went to defend the Mykolaiv region, a month later he went to the Kherson direction, where together with his comrades-in-arms he liberated the village of Pravdyne, and then Kherson. After that, Anatoliy received a combat mission to defend Bakhmut. During his military service, he carried out combat missions on the zero positions, where he showed great courage and heroism, defending the cities and villages of our country. He had a good heart and cared for others not in words, but in deeds. According to his comrades-in-arms, he skillfully destroyed the enemy's personnel. Having the call sign Angel, he was truly an angel for his comrades-in-arms, because he repeatedly saved their lives, risking his own. He gave the most precious thing he had - his life! Anatoliy was the best son and the best brother! He is an example for everyone. He was very young, but already a warrior," added his cousin Malvina. The hero was buried in his native village. At home, Anatoliy was awaited by his parents, older sister, relatives and friends.