Kostiantyn M. Kushnir (Faza)

Sergeant Kostiantyn Kushnir (call sign Phase) was killed on October 1, 2023 in combat near the village of Petropavlivka in the Kharkiv region. During enemy artillery shelling, a shell hit the soldier, leaving no chance of survival. The following month, on November 30, the defender would have turned 45 years old. Kostiantyn was born in the village of Turbiv, Vinnytsia region. He studied at the local school No. 2. He served his mandatory military service. Then he graduated with honors from the Vinnytsia Polytechnic College. He worked as an electrician at a machine-building plant in his native village. Then he worked for 2 years in Russia. After that, he returned to work at the plant. He could repair any equipment: washing machines, TVs. In his native village, his golden hands were highly valued. He never refused to help anyone and had a good heart. He repaired everything for the elderly free of charge. During the full-scale war, in 2023, the man received a summons and later joined the ranks of the 41st Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He was a machine gunner. According to his relatives, he repeatedly saved his comrades and carried them off the battlefield. "He did not have his own family and children, so he lived only with us - his nieces. He did everything for us, raised us from childhood, played with us. He loved his youngest niece Ilonka the most. And he did everything possible and impossible for her. He went to work in Russia to earn money for Ilonka's apartment. Kostia was handed a summons a few weeks before Easter. At work, they could have given him a deferment, but Kostia refused and went to fight. He fought for about 6 months. He promised to come on vacation in the 20s of October. But it was not to be," said the deceased's older niece Diane Andrukhova. The defender was buried in his native village. At home, Kostiantyn was waited for by his father, sister and nieces.