Dmytro V. Kyianenko (Hrek)

Main Sergeant Dmytro Kiianchenko was killed on September 18, 2022 while in Russian captivity in the village of Olenivka, Donetsk region. A shrapnel from a fragmentation mine pierced the soldier's neck. In two months, the warrior would have turned 26 years old. Dmytro was born in the village of Urzuf in the Donetsk region, in a military family. In 2003, he went to the 1st grade of the local school. He loved to study, as well as to master martial arts and musical instruments. After finishing the 9th grade, he entered the Mariupol Construction Vocational College. Subsequently, he became a student at the Kharkiv National University of Economics named after Semen Kuznets. At the same time, Dmytro signed a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine and served in the 56th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade. After the end of the contract, he continued his studies and at the same time joined the ranks of the Donetsk Border Guard Unit. He lived with his family in Mariupol. In 2020, he received a master's degree. A few days before the full-scale invasion, he insisted that his wife and son leave the city, and on February 22, 2022, he said goodbye to his loved ones forever. As part of the Donetsk Border Guard Unit, he defended Mariupol. On May 19, together with the commander, he went out of "Azovstal" into Russian captivity. The warrior was wounded and was in Olenivka, where he was killed. "My husband was very cheerful, positive and cheerful. He loved life, rejoiced at everything, never got into conflicts. He always joked that he was born to bring joy to people. He knew so many anecdotes, dozens of interesting stories, and some he could make up on the go. Sociable, the soul of the company. A wonderful father and husband," said Alina Demchenko. The defender was buried in the village of Rozhniv, Ivano-Frankivsk region, where his relatives were at the time. Dmytro is survived by his wife, son, parents and younger brother. The defender was awarded the Order of Courage, III degree (posthumously).