Denys O. Plotnikov (Synoptyk)

Senior Lieutenant Denys Plotnikov (call sign Synoptyk) was killed while carrying out a combat mission to liberate the village of Davydiv Brid in the Kherson region. The 26-year-old defender fought his last battle on October 6, 2022. Denys was from the Sumy region. He obtained two higher education degrees at the Odesa State Environmental University. He had bachelor's degrees in hydrometeorology and a master's degree in management. He was interested in in-depth work with Excel, video editing, and promoting his social media. He lived in Odesa. Before the full-scale invasion, he tried his hand at real estate, which he became very passionate about. He was perhaps the only Odesa realtor who recorded content for social media only in Ukrainian. During the full-scale war, he defended the Motherland as part of the 57th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade named after Kosh Otaman Kostya Hordiyenko. He temporarily performed the duties of a company commander. "Denys was the brightest and most positive person I knew in my life. He could find the positives in any negative situation. He was incredibly kind and sensitive. He came to the aid of all his friends if they needed it. He was a wonderful son, brother, faithful and loving husband. I had only seen such love in movies, but he proved that it can exist in real life. He was a support and a pillar for me. Denys was always the life of the party," his wife Kateryna said. The defender was buried at the Western Cemetery in Odesa. Denys is survived by his parents, younger sister, and wife. Senior Lieutenant Denys Plotnikov was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage of the III degree.