Bohdan V. Bondarchuk (Bond)

Bondarchuk Bohdan Viktorovych was born on March 13, 1982. In 1999, he graduated from the Khmilnytska secondary school in the Chernihiv district of Chernihiv region. After completing his mandatory military service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2002, Bohdan began his service in the internal affairs bodies. Since 2015, he served in the special police unit of Chernihiv region, and since 2018, he was part of the KORD (Special Operations Unit). Bohdan Bondarchuk established himself as a dedicated, professional, brave, reliable, and responsible police officer. During the aviation and rocket bombardments of Chernihiv, he, along with other special forces and military personnel, provided cover for the rescue services working to restore the city's critical infrastructure. In March 2022, under enemy artillery and mortar fire, he assisted peaceful residents of Chernihiv and evacuated women, children, and the wounded from the city. The police officer was a caring family man, raising three children—a son and two daughters. "Bohdan was a wonderful father and husband—loving and wise. Always calm and reasonable... He also had golden hands; in his free time, he helped friends fix their cars," says the wife of the fallen hero, Victoria. "Bohdan lived for his service and could not imagine himself in any other profession. For us, he was the best! And he will remain so forever..." The mother of the fallen police officer, Svitlana Bondarchuk, recalls that her son was very sociable from childhood, had many friends, and was the soul of any company: "Bohdan was a true support for me from a young age. So now, without him, it is extremely difficult. There are few children like my son. When he was in school, he was the best in his class. Active, communicative, he participated in all school events. He inherited a love for technology from his father. It seemed that what should not move, moved and worked for him. Indeed, he had golden hands—he did all the repairs himself. As soon as he arrived at my village, several cars would gather in the yard—everyone needed Bohdan. He would fix something for someone, help someone, or advise them. People were always drawn to him. So this loss is not only for me but for our entire village. For everyone who knew him." Svitlana Volodymyrivna says that Bohdan was many times in hot spots in the East, participating in risky and dangerous police operations. "He lived for his service; it was his calling," says the hero's mother. "Since 2014, Bohdan had rotations in the East. Of course, we worried a lot. We knew that our Bohdan never hid behind the backs of others. When he was in positions, there was no communication with him for several days. It was true happiness to wait for a call and finally hear his familiar voice. Over 20 years of his service, there were many difficult situations, but Bohdan did not particularly share details. 'Everything is fine, mom,' he would reply to all inquiries. I understand that I have to hold on and live for the sake of my grandchildren. But sometimes my soul cannot bear it... It is very hard to endure such a loss." Bohdan was one of the best in his unit and remained faithful to his oath until the end. "He could always lend a friendly and reliable shoulder. We knew that if Bohdan was going on a mission, it would be carried out 100%. Our sacred duty is to take revenge on the enemy for the death of our brother Bohdan. And we will definitely do it," says a colleague of the fallen KORD member. For all 20 years, his comrade Serhiy served alongside Bohdan in the special police unit. "Together we stood in the rapid response group, went out to detain dangerous criminals," says Serhiy. "During our service, we always supported each other. Since 2014, our unit has been in the East. Bohdan and I jointly carried out combat missions. Bohdan was passionate about sports and was a professional shooter. He mastered various types of weapons, from handguns to sniper rifles. He shot very accurately and quickly. Bohdan participated in shooting competitions and repeatedly represented Chernihiv region. Thanks to him, our region often ranked among the top 10 in Ukraine." "For me, he was not just a colleague, but also a friend. We spent our free time and weekends together. Bohdan was a wonderful person. People often turned to him for help, and he could never refuse anyone. Whatever he undertook—everything turned out well. It amazed me that no one taught him this or showed him how. For example, he did a complete renovation in his apartment himself; I was surprised at how skillfully and beautifully everything turned out. I always tried to take him as an example. In difficult or crisis situations, Bohdan always maintained his composure, was calm and collected. He truly had a lot to teach. Bohdan is an example of a true officer and defender," recalls his friend and colleague from KORD, Oleksandr. Special forces officer Bohdan Bondarchuk heroically died on February 13, 2023, during the defense of the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region as a result of a strike by Russian military rocket artillery. For his courage and selfless actions displayed during the performance of official duties to ensure the protection of Ukraine's independence and territorial integrity, Bohdan Viktorovych Bondarchuk was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage, III class.