Nikita S. Zabila (Dzhobs)

Soldier Nikita Zabila (call sign Jobs) was killed on August 19, 2023, in battle with the occupiers near the village of Andriyivka in the Donetsk region. The warrior was 23 years old. Nikita was born in the city of Nizhyn, Chernihiv region. He graduated from the Nizhyn Lyceum at the Mykola Gogol National University. He then studied at the Institute of Geology of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, majoring in Earth Sciences (geoinformatics). He worked as a sports analyst and dreamed of becoming an Apple app developer. He joined the ranks of the defenders in April 2023. He served in the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He was a machine gunner. The call sign Jobs" was given to Nikita by his comrades-in-arms on the first day of training. The guy wore glasses, knew a lot about technology, and in civilian life began to master the IT specialty. Nikita seemed to his comrades-in-arms similar to Steve Jobs. "We were together for 4.5 years. We met at the university and started dating. This is an incredible person! He was genuine, honest, and wise beyond his years. A person with a core, unwavering in his principles and with a keen sense of justice. That's why Nikita decided to take up the defense of Ukraine himself, he could no longer wait, he wanted to liberate the land from the Russian occupant. In April 2023, he joined the ranks of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, refused a number of rear positions, and decided to become a storm trooper - the elite of the Ukrainian army. Before going into the military, he said: 'I'm going to protect my family, my native land. I will either return as a Hero, or die as a Hero...' On that hellish day, he and his comrades-in-arms covered the withdrawal of the group and held back the overwhelming number of the enemy, Nikita then saved the lives of his comrades-in-arms. He was killed as a Hero, with a weapon in his hands, looking the enemy in the eye," said the deceased's beloved Maria. "I will remember that day for the rest of my life. Before leaving, the commander of the assault group approached us, told us that this task would be extremely difficult, and offered to stay home if we felt we couldn't handle it. We were 'green' in the unit, and the desire to prove and show ourselves exceeded the fear, so we all agreed. In the first seconds after disembarking from the armored vehicle, we were met with a hail of fire and a burning landing site. Everything was on fire and in ashes. The enemy was 3, if not 4 times more numerous. We all acted as a well-coordinated mechanism and were able to break through the first stronghold. The enemy began to retreat, but we lacked fighters, so we dug in on the recaptured lines and waited for the approach of another assault group. I remember how happy it was to hear Jobs and Dats working with PCs - it was just honey for the ears during the assault... He was a real man. He destroyed a large number of the enemy. Covered the withdrawal of another group that was surrounded. I don't remember him being afraid. A person of courageous and decisive actions. I miss him very much," said his comrade-in-arms Bar. Nikita was buried at the Hunkivske cemetery in his native Nizhyn. The defender is survived by his parents, younger brother, beloved, other relatives, friends, and comrades-in-arms. The hero was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage, 3rd degree.