Bohdan L. Rudkivskyi

27-year-old senior soldier Bohdan Rudkivskyi (call sign Rudik) died on February 24, 2022, while on duty in the city of Oleshky in the Kherson region. While stopping the enemy's advance, he sustained fatal injuries during enemy artillery shelling. Bohdan was born in the city of Bila Tserkva, Kyiv region. In the 5th grade of secondary school, he joined the basketball section, then studied in the sports class of school No. 18. He received a certificate of complete secondary education at the Kyiv Regional Lyceum of Physical Culture and Sports. He later became a student at the Bila Tserkva Agrarian University. He continued to play basketball. Since 2019, he has served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He was a mechanic-driver of the 1129th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment named after Major General Mykola Kapustianskyi. At the time of the full-scale invasion, he was with his unit for training in the Kherson region. "He was the best son. Kind, honest, decent. He played basketball since the 5th grade. Wherever he was, he always had a basketball with him. He helped his friends, was an advisor and support for them. He respected older people. He loved animals very much, and they reciprocated," said the mother of the fallen defender. The hero was buried in the village of Radensk in the Kherson region. Bohdan is survived by his parents Liudmyla Stepanivna and Leonid Kazymyrovych. For his military service, the soldier was awarded the medal "Participant in Combat Operations" and the Order of Courage of the III degree (posthumously). The defender was also posthumously awarded the title of "Honorary Citizen of the City of Bila Tserkva".