Mykhailo A. Kazantsev (Mishania)

41-year-old serviceman Mikhail Kazantsev was killed on August 6, 2022, during the assault on enemy positions in the area of the village of Dolyna, Donetsk region. Ukrainian defenders fell into an enemy ambush while performing a combat mission. To minimize losses, Mikhail and another comrade stayed on the position, covering the retreat of their comrades. Mikhail was born in Russia, lived in the city of Ordzhonikidze (now the city of Pokrov) in the Dnipropetrovsk region since childhood. After school, he stu to be a driver and received a category C license. He graduated from a vocational school, where he received the profession of a turner of the 3rd rank. He changed many jobs throughout his life. For the last 8 years, he lived in the city of Irpin near Kyiv. He worked as the head of the department of numerical program control at the Borodyanka settlement. When the full-scale war began, the man was engaged in volunteering. And on March 28, he joined a volunteer battalion in Kyiv, was engaged in clearing territories from shells. Since April 13, he has been in the Donetsk region. Later, he became a fighter of the 95th separate assault brigade. Instead of a call sign, everyone called him Mishanya. For our family, Misha was not only a husband and father. He was a true example of responsibility, courage, fairness, and determination for us. Life threw different tests, but he passed them unbreakably. When asked: "Why did you go there, where fierce battles are going on?", his answer was: "I had no options. I want you to return to Ukraine with the children, not to where everything will be under Russian rule." Although he himself was born in the distant depths of this accursed Russia. But the Lord had other plans, so our Misha fulfilled his mission here. No one has greater love than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends — these are the words of the Bible. That's exactly how our hero , who will forever be in our hearts and memory," said his wife Oksana. "Misha Kazantsev. One of the heroes who now protects us from heaven. You never gave up. You didn't step back from difficulties. You didn't hide behind your back. And your death is another example of a great soul. You was killed to save the lives of your comrades. We don't know what your last minutes were like. We hope that death was instantaneous and painless. And we are sure that you came to God with a smile on your face, as always. Born in slave Russia, you laid down your life so that your children could live in a free Ukraine. Thank you, our Hero! Our Mishanya!", recalls a friend of the deceased Olga Gurina. Mishanya! Brother, friend! I knew that I could always turn to you for help and you wouldn't refuse. Thank God for you!", said friend Oleksiy. "Mishka was a man of his word: said - done. Always positive. He could perform any task, responsible, purposeful, independent. He learned quickly, if he wanted something, he could always implement it. He is wise, reasonable, simple, real... He is the best. With him, it's calm, reliable, safe. No one had the love he had. He always came to the rescue, supported. He was a leader, he was an example for everyone. I love you infinitely, my little bear", said friend Snizhana. In life, we meet people who then leave. There are those who are not sorry to lose, and there are those like Mishanek, a friend, a comrade, whom I still imagine as a part of my life. My older brother", wrote friend Semen. "We are proud to have known you. You were a wonderful person", wrote friend and colleague Iryna. I was the first to teach you how to survive in a war! I was the first to teach you how to distinguish the sound of a "Grad" shot and the sound of a mortar shot! But the Almighty, apparently, had his own plans for you! Brother, you will forever be in my heart", wrote comrade Skif. Mikhail was buried on the Alley of Glory in Irpin. The defender left behind three children.