Mykola M. Kukharchuk (Paska)

Soldier Mykola Kukharchuk (call sign Paska) was killed on October 15, 2022, in a battle near the village of Yegorivka in the Donetsk region. He sustained fatal injuries during enemy artillery shelling. The fighter did not live to see his 35th birthday, passing away two months before. Mykola Kukharchuk was born in the village of Tutovichi in the Rivne region. He obtained higher education at the Stepan Demyanchuk International Economic and Humanitarian University, studying at the faculty of health, physical culture, and sports. He earned a degree as a physical education teacher. Since 2010, he worked in his native village school as a teacher. He loved football and fishing very much. "He was the head of school clubs for volleyball, basketball, and football, whose participants won prizes in various sports competitions. He prepared diligently for lessons, and the children loved his classes because the teacher played football with them and shared sports secrets. He hardly had time to have lunch at home after lessons, as the boys were already waiting for football club activities. He organized volleyball and football teams and played in the youth football team 'Horyn.' The children still remember and miss their favorite teacher. He always performed his work diligently," the community reported. With the beginning of the full-scale war on February 25, 2022, the man joined the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He served in the 68th Separate Jaeger Brigade named after Oleksa Dovbush. He held the position of a shooter - assistant grenade launcher. According to his comrades, Mykola was very cheerful and soulful, never indifferent to his friends' problems, always loved to joke, and cherished company. He was the first to help, never refused anything, gave his last, and never spoke a bad word. The defender was buried in his native village. Mykola is survived by his parents, two sisters, and nephews.