Anton L. Perekrest (Pank)

Defender of Mariupol, fighter of the Azov Regiment Anton Perekrest (call sign Punk) was killed on May 6, 2022. He was murdered by Russian occupiers while the "Azov" fighters were evacuating civilians from the territory of the Azovstal plant. Anton was born in Zaporizhzhia. He was interested in weapons. In 2015, he volunteered for the Azov Battalion. He participated in the battles for Mariupol in 2015. Anton met his future wife Daria through a mutual acquaintance in Zaporizhzhia. At that time, Anton was serving in Urzuf, Donetsk region. When their relationship began, he tried to come home as often as possible. The defender's mother even told Daria, "Thank you for my son," because he started appearing at home more frequently. Anton and Daria decided to live together in Mariupol. He would travel home from service every day and tried to spend more time with his beloved. In 2020, the couple got married. When their daughter was born, Anton was the first to take her in his arms at the maternity hospital. "Every day, three times a day, he would run to the maternity ward, write little notes, and attach them to the food containers. Not only to the maternity ward, but always when he went somewhere for a long time, he would leave me notes with words of support... At work and at home, he was absolutely two different people. He was this tough, bearded man with tattoos, and accordingly, he was the same at work, but at home, he was a gentle, tender, and loving husband and father. I love him very much, I can't let him go, I still communicate with him," Daria said. The last time the couple communicated was on May 5, 2022, the day before Anton's death. He wrote to his wife that he was doing well. "He wrote that everything was fine with him, asked about his parents, said that all his documents had burned. He said he loved us very much and regretted not being with us," Daria noted. On May 6, during the so-called "silence regime," three "Azov" fighters were killed. One was due to an anti-tank missile hitting the vehicle that was supposed to go for the evacuation of civilians from "Azovstal," and the other two were due to the explosion of enemy bombs dropped by Russian occupiers from a drone. On May 5, 2022, Senior Soldier Anton Perekrest was awarded the Order of Courage III degree while he was still alive. And on May 24, after his death, he was awarded the Order of Courage II degree. Anton is survived by his parents, wife, and 1.5-year-old daughter.