Mykola V. Zhydkov (Sokil)

Senior soldier Mykola Zhydkov (call sign Sokil) was killed on June 1, 2023 near the settlement of Novodonets'ke in the Donetsk region. While carrying out a combat mission, he received fatal injuries during enemy artillery shelling. On June 23, the courageous defender would have turned 22 years old. Mykola was born in the city of Kropyvnytskyi. He studied at the local school No. 7. From childhood, he was involved in sports. His main passion became football. He studied at a sports school and showed good results, which influenced his further life. Later, he became a professional footballer, playing for various teams. In 2020, he signed a contract with the Polish FC "Wegrzcanka Wegrzce Wielkie" and since then lived and worked in Poland. With the start of the full-scale war, Mykola decided to suspend his career and return to Ukraine to defend it. That's what he did. He became a fighter of the 3rd Special Operations Regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He held the position of senior operator and bravely carried out complex tasks at the forefront. "We have known Mykola since we were 13 years old. He was a true patriot. There is no person who would say something bad about him," said Danylo Kravchenko. "Miki was a very kind and polite guy, there was no one who didn't love him. When he went out on the field, he fought with all his might to bring victory to his team, and when it came to fighting for the freedom of his country, he sacrificed his own life. We will miss you, friend, but we will never forget you," the Polish football club wrote on their page. The young warrior was buried on the Alley of Glory of the Far Eastern Cemetery in his hometown. Mykola is survived by his parents, grandmother, sister, girlfriend, loyal friends, and comrades-in-arms. In the village of Sokolivske in the Kirovohrad region, a street was renamed in honor of Mykola Zhydkov.