Mykola V. Cherniavskyi (Chirik)

24-year-old Junior Sergeant Mykola Cherniavskyi (call sign Chirik) died on March 11, 2022 in the battle for the city of Mariupol, Donetsk region. The defender's life was cut short by an enemy bullet. Mykola was born in the village of Poniatovka, Odesa region. He graduated from the Poniatovka secondary school. He then enrolled in a vocational school in the village of Stepove, where he mastered the profession of a tractor driver. Later, he worked in construction in Odesa. In his free time, he loved fishing and played sports: football, volleyball and basketball. In 2020, Mykola joined the ranks of the National Guard of Ukraine. He served in the separate special purpose detachment "Azov". During the full-scale invasion, he was a machine gunner in the machine gun platoon of the fire support company of the operational purpose. From the first days, together with his comrades-in-arms, he defended the city of Mariupol. "My brother was a very good person. I love him very much, I miss him and I'm waiting," wrote the deceased's sister Oksana Potochna. At home, his sister was waiting for Mykola. The "Azov" member was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage of the III degree.