Oleksandr K. Karaiani (Zoria)

Military serviceman Oleksandr Karayani (call sign Zorya) was killed on October 1, 2022, near the village of Davydiv Brid in the Kherson region during an enemy shelling with Grad systems. The defender was 56 years old. Oleksandr was born in the village of Larzhanka in the Odesa region. He graduated from the local school. In 1984, he was drafted for compulsory military service. He served for two years in Hungary. In civilian life, he worked as a driver. He loved playing chess and taught it to his children. During the full-scale invasion, he defended Ukraine as part of the 35th Separate Marine Brigade named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Ostrohradskiy. He was a driver for the machine gun platoon. "He was a very kind, sensitive person, worked as a driver. In March, he received a summons, immediately packed his backpack, and went to the military enlistment office. He never refused anyone who asked for help. He worked a lot," said his daughter Iryna. The defender was buried in his native village in the Odesa region. At home, three daughters were waiting for Oleksandr: Tetiana, Iryna, and Olena.