Mykola F. Oliferchuk (Elem)

32-year-old Sergeant Major Mykola Oliferchuk (call sign Elem) was killed on August 20, 2023, while carrying out a combat mission near the village of Robotyne in the Zaporizhia region. While shielding his wounded comrades and waiting for evacuation, he sustained fatal injuries. Mykola was born in the village of Novozhukiv, Rivne region. He graduated from the local school. He then obtained the profession of cash collector at the Rivne Academy of Patrol Police. He worked at the Rivne State Security Service. In 2014-2016, he participated in the Anti-Terrorist Operation. He fought in the battles for Savur-Mohyla, Ilovaisk, and Volnovakha. After sustaining injuries and concussions, he was discharged from the Armed Forces of Ukraine. For some time, he worked at various enterprises in the city. Then he went abroad. When the full-scale war began, the man returned to the ranks of the defenders. Initially, he served in the 54th Separate Rifle Battalion. Then he fought as part of the 117th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, holding the position of platoon sergeant major. Together with his comrades, he defended the Zaporizhia direction. In June 2023, he was awarded the honorary badge of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine "Golden Cross". "Our Kolya was a very sensitive and fair person. He defended our country, not sparing his life. It is difficult to accept that he was so looking forward to his little son, and did not enjoy him, did not admire him. He constantly said: 'I must always be with my guys. How are they doing without me?' And how are we supposed to live, how are we supposed to tell his son what his father was like, what other words can we use to support the grieving mother, how can we help the wife survive? Knowing that he never left anyone on the battlefield: neither the wounded nor the dead. His words: 'We're all going out,' said the sister of the fallen Mariya Ternovets. The warrior was buried in his native village. Mykola is survived by his parents, wife, son, who was not even 7 months old at the time of his father's death, brothers and sisters with families, other relatives, friends, and comrades-in-arms. Mykola Oliferchuk was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage of the III degree.