Maksym H. Svitlychnyi (Mekhan)

Soldier Maksym Svitlychnyi (call sign Mekhan) was killed on July 2, 2022 near the settlement of Pytomnik in the Kharkiv region. While carrying out a combat mission, he received fatal injuries during enemy artillery shelling. That day, the defender turned 39 years old. Maksym was born in the village of Ivanivka, Kharkiv region. He studied at a rural school. In 2001, he graduated from Kharkiv Vocational School No. 33, obtaining the profession of a car mechanic. He worked as a construction worker. He was passionate about fishing and metal detecting. During the full-scale war, the man defended his native Kharkiv region. He fought against the occupiers as part of the special unit "Kraken". He was planning to get married after the victory, but it was not meant to be. "The brightest trait of his character was that he loved life very much. He never missed a moment to photograph an interesting butterfly, mushroom, amazing landscape, or a bizarre tree shape on his phone camera. He loved dogs and cats very much. He was very kind and sincere to people. He never refused to help anyone." - said the deceased's brother. The soldier was buried in the settlement of Rohan, Kharkiv region. Maksym is survived by his father Hryhoriy Leontiyovych, mother Larysa Petrivna, brother Roman, other relatives, close ones, friends, and comrades-in-arms.