Ninel M. Ardelianova (Ninel)

Nelya Ardelanova (call sign Ninel) was killed on May 8, 2022, in Mariupol, Donetsk region. At that time, the occupiers dropped a heavy aerial bomb on the "Shop 20" bunker. The defender was 46 years old. Nelya was born in the village of Preslav, Zaporizhia region. She was the youngest daughter in the family, with an older brother and sister. In the village, the girl graduated from school and went to study accounting at the Primorsk Vocational and Technical School. She worked in her specialty in various institutions. Her last civilian job was at the Preslav Psychoneurological Boarding House. One of Nelya's hobbies was singing. She was a member of the Ukrainian-Bulgarian ensemble "Harmony," which existed in the village of Preslav. Together with the team, Ninel performed at concerts and festivals in the villages and cities of the region, and in 2017 she went on a performance in Bulgaria. Ninel's talent was inherited by her daughters, Iryna and Tetyana. The woman cherished a love for Bulgarian dances and traditions, as she had Bulgarian roots and always remembered this. In 2019, Nelya joined the special purpose unit of the National Guard of Ukraine "Azov." She was initially in charge of the food warehouse, and later took the position of the head of the clothing warehouse. Her duties included dressing the military personnel of the regiment. She was so knowledgeable about this matter that she could determine the size of the men's clothing at first glance. Nelya's husband, Valeriy, also joined the "Azov" to be with his wife. They were first stationed in Urzuf and later performed their duties in Mariupol. There they encountered the full-scale invasion. From the first days of the war, Nelya was involved in the evacuation of civilians from Mariupol to Zaporizhia. And when the road was already closed, she began to help with the wounded in the hospital and was engaged in arranging living quarters for the soldiers. The situation with clothing at "Azovstal" was very difficult, and Ninel did her best to solve this problem. Nelya was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage, 3rd degree.