Fedir K. Baloh (Odesa)

Born on May 10, 1973, in the village of Vyshkove (now the town of Vyshkove) in the Khust district of the Transcarpathian region. In childhood, he moved with his family to the village of Paraskoviya in the Kegychiv district of the Kharkiv region. He graduated from the secondary school in Paraskoviya, then attended vocational technical school No. 60 in the town of Kegychivka, Kharkiv region. He served his mandatory military service in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He worked in agriculture. In August 2014, he was mobilized as a volunteer into the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He held the position of mechanic-driver of the armored tractor BTS-5 in the 92nd separate mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. From August 2014 to 2015, he participated in the anti-terrorist operation in Eastern Ukraine. At the end of August 2014, as part of the tactical group of the brigade, he took part in the attempt to unblock Ukrainian units in the city of Ilovaisk, Donetsk region. On the night of August 27 to 28, between the villages of Novozaryivka and Voikove in the Starobeshiv district of Donetsk region, the group was first shelled by Russian artillery and then attacked by reconnaissance and sabotage units of the enemy. The equipment of the column was partially destroyed, and the rest was captured by Russian troops. The brigade fighters found themselves surrounded, and some of them were taken prisoner by the Russians. Soldier Fedor Baloga managed to survive and soon break out of the encirclement. He subsequently carried out combat missions near the city of Shchastia in the Novoaidar district of Luhansk region. At the end of summer - beginning of autumn 2015, he was demobilized. He then served under contract in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 2016, he held the position of squad commander in the 92nd separate mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. On May 30, 2018, he re-enlisted for military service under contract in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He held the position of gunner-operator of the 3rd mechanized squad of the 2nd mechanized platoon of the 3rd mechanized company of the 1st mechanized battalion of the 92nd separate mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Since the summer of 2018, he participated in the Joint Forces Operation in Eastern Ukraine. He was buried on August 7, 2018, in the cemetery of the village of Paraskoviya, Kegychiv district, Kharkiv region.