Artur O. Ovdiienko (Ovod)

Senior Seaman Arthur Ovdiyenko (call sign Ovod) was killed in action on March 29, 2022, defending the city of Mariupol in Donetsk region. As a result of an enemy airstrike, he lost his lower limb and from significant blood loss. The warrior is forever 23. Arthur was born in the village of Kapulivka, Dnipropetrovsk region. He graduated from Zaporizhzhia National University, where he stu at the historical faculty. He was passionate about playing the guitar, Ukrainian history, and music. He loved the band "Tiń Sontsia" very much. He wrote poetry. In January 2018, he signed a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He performed combat tasks in the area of the JFO/ATO, for which he was awarded the Medal of the President of Ukraine "For Participation in the Anti-Terrorist Operation". Since the first days of the full-scale invasion, he defended Mariupol. At that time, Arthur served in the 501st Separate Battalion of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade. He held the position of a gunner in the anti-tank platoon of the fire support company. "I taught history to Arthur in the 10th grade. He was not an exemplary student. The school program did not interest him. He did not get more than 4 points in history. But at that time, he borrowed historical literature (scientific, journalistic, artistic) from the library and stu it independently. He was mainly interested in military history and the history of the Makhno movement. Every year, we visited the commemoration of Ivan Sirko in Kapulivka, the training of young people from "Svoboda", and together participated in the overthrow of communist monuments in the territory of Nikopol district. Arthur was a very serious (he rarely smiled, but it was a real holiday), friendly, and fair person. Above all, he loved his family, brother, and sisters. The shore of the Kakhovka reservoir (under which is the Great Meadow) was his place of strength, where he spent a lot of time. He was very attached to the Cossack places. After school, he devoted his life to serving in the Ukrainian army. This is undoubtedly a Cossack of the 21st century. I am incredibly proud. A hero," said Ivanna Kondratyeva. The defender is survived by his parents, Lyubov Ivanivna and Oleksandr Ivanovych, brother Bohdan, sisters Veronika and Zhanna, as well as other relatives, close friends, and comrades.