Dmytro V. Kuzmin (Myrotvorets)

Dmytro Volodymyrovych was born in the Sverdlovsk region (Russia) and moved with his family to Ukraine, to Cherkasy, at the age of 5. Dmytro's father was an artist. After finishing school, also having a talent and desire to continue his father's work, Dmytro entered the Kyiv Art College. After completing the first year in 1992, he was drafted for compulsory military service, which he served in the units of the National Guard of Ukraine stationed in Donetsk. Having distinguished himself, he was discharged in the rank of sergeant. Later, he graduated from the oldest trade and economic higher educational institution in Ukraine — Lviv Commercial Academy, where he met his future wife Zoryana. In 2007, God blessed the couple with their firstborn, Mykhailo, and three years later, his brother Ivan was born. Dmytro was passionate about photography, and this hobby turned into his favorite profession: he worked as a photographer at resorts in Egypt, from where he returned to his homeland with the onset of the Revolution of Dignity. He actively participated in the self-defense activities of EuroMaidan. After the annexation of Crimea, he volunteered to join the "Dnipro-2" battalion. "Where I am, there is peace," he joked. In fact, Dmytro received the call sign "Peacemaker" after he managed to resolve a conflict near the city of Chervonoarmiysk when, during a "referendum," a crowd of supporters of the so-called DPR tried to block the movement of his unit's column. Dmytro, removing his helmet and balaclava, bravely went out to negotiate, and his sincere words that Ukrainian law enforcement officers do not fight with the civilian population made the protesters retreat and let the column pass. Later, Dmytro Volodymyrovych signed a contract to serve in the military reserve of the National Guard of Ukraine, taking the position of commander of a platoon in the special forces battalion "Donbas." After completing a combat training course, he was one of the first to head to the area of the anti-terrorist operation. The commander of the unit, Semen Semenchenko, wrote on Facebook regarding this tragedy: "Peacemaker died in battle. As a man. As a soldier… A brave warrior, a conscious citizen, a reliable friend, a bright and wonderful person with kind, clear eyes. Dmytro was a professional photographer who left his job but not his calling, and until his last day, he created photo chronicles of the life of the "Donbas" battalion. Now his comrades are looking through these photos that Peacemaker left them as a memory. They all feel pain, as he became a true friend to the fighters. We express our sincere condolences to the family of the deceased. We all share your great, irreparable loss. Dmytro's children can be proud of him. Their father was called by war, as our country has been burning in flames for months. It is for their and our free, bright future and the future of all children that "Donbas" is fighting…".