Ivan A. Naumenko

Lieutenant Ivan Naumenko was killed in action with occupiers near the town of Kremennaya in Luhansk region on March 8, 2022. The officer was 22 years old. Ivan was born in the village of Popelniki in Ivano-Frankivsk region. In his senior years of high school, he actively prepared for admission to a military university, as he dreamed of becoming a military man. After graduating from school in 2017, he fulfilled his dream and enrolled in the National Academy of Ground Forces named after Hetman Petro Sagaidachny in Lviv. During his studies, he proved to be a purposeful, responsible, and diligent cadet. He willingly mastered not only military affairs but also the peaks of the Ukrainian Carpathians. He had a certificate of "Alpinist of Ukraine". The young man wanted to be a modern warrior, so he gained experience from foreign colleagues. He stu English in-depth. He graduated from the academy with honors and received the rank of lieutenant. From the summer of 2021, Ivan was the commander of a platoon in the 15th Separate Battalion of the 128th Separate Mountain Assault Zakarpattia Brigade. From July to December 2021, he participated in combat operations in the Joint Forces Operation area. He spent the winter holidays of 2022 on vacation at home with his parents and his sister's family, as he always respected all Ukrainian traditions. However, on February 24, a full-scale war began. In the composition of his unit, the young officer continued to defend the homeland from Russian occupiers. "I've known Ivan since kindergarten. We went to the same school. He was always lively, sociable, loved sports, could maintain a conversation on any topic, which is why he was liked by those around him. His advice was always accurate and useful, and his stories from service showed that he was one of those officers who people wanted to follow. He left an indelible mark in the heart of everyone who knew him...", said the deceased's friend. The officer was buried in his native village. Ivan is survived by his parents and older sister. Posthumously, Lieutenant Ivan Naumenko was awarded the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky 3rd class.