Ihor V. Smushchenko (Boroda)

Junior Sergeant Ihor Smushchenko (call sign Boroda) was killed on June 19, 2023 near the village of Storozhove in the Donetsk region. During enemy mortar shelling, the warrior received a fatal explosive injury. He was 43 years old. Ihor was born in the city of Mena, Chernihiv region. He graduated from Diahivska secondary school, and also studied at the Stepanivskyi inter-school educational and production complex, where he obtained the profession of a tractor driver. From childhood, he was fascinated by cars, was interested in the reception of scrap non-ferrous metals, dismantling of household and automotive equipment. He had an outstanding fishing talent. He worked together with his wife in their own bar. He lived with his family in the village of Voloskivtsi, Chernihiv region. In 2015-2016, he defended the country in the ATO zone in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. On the first day of the full-scale invasion, Ihor voluntarily went to defend Ukraine. He joined the 1st separate Siverska tank brigade, holding the position of a grenade launcher assistant in the rifle squad of the rifle company. He defended Ukraine in the Chernihiv and Donetsk directions. For his service, the warrior received a number of awards, including the "Participant of the ATO" badge and the Order of Courage of the III degree (posthumously). "Ihor was a loving husband and father. We lived with him for almost 20 years, and I can confidently say that this time spent together was the best. For us with my husband, every day, every moment, every conversation was special, every second next to him was the happiest time. We were the meaning of life for each other, but it's a pity that we lived together so little. My Ihor was courageous, responsible, sociable, hardworking... As everyone said and says about Ihor, he was a man with a capital letter. We had many plans and dreams. How sad that their implementation is now impossible. Although almost a year has passed, I still wait for him and will wait as long as I live. My dear, my husband, I love you and will love you all my life. You will be forever in my heart..." - said his wife Vita. The defender was buried in the cemetery in the village of Voloskivtsi. Ihor is survived by his wife and two daughters.