Dmytro V. Shestakov

Border Guard Inspector Dmytro Shestakov died on October 22, 2023, during an enemy mortar attack near the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region. The defender was 30 years old. Dmytro was born in the city of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region. He studied at school No. 23. Then he entered the Donbas State Machine-Building Academy. After two years of study, he became a specialist in the repair of office equipment at the "Computer Pro" company. On May 19, 2013, he was drafted into the military service. After the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war in 2014, the unit of the Internal Troops in which Dmytro served guarded a chemical plant in Rubizhne. Dmytro's unit was effectively blocked on the warehouse territory, where it was on guard duty. Their main task was to prevent the removal of explosives. Dmytro and his comrades-in-arms accomplished this. Dmytro was demobilized after two years of service. Returning to Kramatorsk, he became a co-founder of the veteran organization "ATO Poruch". He got married, and the couple had a son. Dmytro worked at "Computer Pro". On the morning of February 24, 2022, hearing the first explosions and learning about Russia's attack, Dmytro took his family to the suburbs of Kramatorsk, and then went to the military enlistment office. He was assigned to the 11th Kramatorsk Border Guard Unit. Dmytro held the position of a 2nd category border guard inspector - a machine gunner in the 1st border guard detachment of the rapid response border commandant's office No. 1. "There are no such bright people as Dimka... He is the best of us," his comrades-in-arms recall. "This is a huge loss for all of us... He was my only best friend, and I will miss him very much," said his comrade-in-arms Bohdan Korniienko. "Brother, my beloved brother! The whole country, and maybe the whole world, should know how brave you were and how you never gave up, no matter where you were sent! I'll say more: you are the only one from our large family and my friends and acquaintances who went on the first day of the war, you are the only one who was not afraid! You went to destroy the enemy! I am incredibly proud of you! Everyone who knew you can say with confidence that you were a very good and kind person!" wrote the warrior's brother Oleksandr. "My best friend. Dear brother. You left this life too early... But you will forever remain in my heart and my memory as a smiling, bright person. Always fair, prudent, filled with wisdom beyond your years. In the darkest times, only you gave that spark of positivity and bright thoughts that everything will be fine, we will break through. And with such an attitude, you defended our Motherland, our peace. I hope you find peace in eternal life," wrote his cousin. "He was a very sensitive son, a caring father and a devoted husband who loved his wife and son very much. His little son will always remember how he rode on a locomotive with his dad, sat with him on a motorcycle, or how dad gave flowers to his mom. My son always told me how beautiful I am and how much he loves me," says mother Lilia. The defender was buried in the Alley of Heroes in his hometown. Dmytro is survived by his wife, son, brother and parents.