Oleksandr M. Babets (Bar)

Sergeant Major Oleksandr Babets (call sign Bar) was killed on October 10, 2023, while performing his official duties near the village of Pervomaiske in the Donetsk region. During enemy artillery shelling, he sustained fatal shrapnel wounds to his chest. The defender was 50 years old. Oleksandr was born in the village of Sofiyivka, Dnipropetrovsk region. After school, he studied at the Dnipropetrovsk Technical School and obtained the qualification of an electrician-installer. In 1992-1994, he served in the military in Brody, Lviv region, as a signaler, and was promoted to the rank of junior sergeant. Later, he got married and lived with his family in the village of Nemishaieve, Kyiv region. In civilian life, he worked at the CPPRC "Vector" production complex in Pripyat. In 2016, Oleksandr joined the 11th battalion "Kyivska Rus" of the 59th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade named after Yakov Handziuk. Until 2021, he participated in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) / Joint Forces Operation (JFO), defending and fighting for the territorial integrity of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, fighting for Popasna, Shyrokyne, Svitlodarsk, Sievierodonetsk, and Soledar. In 2017, he sustained his first shrapnel wound and concussion. After rehabilitation, he returned to the front line. His call sign was "Bar," which was an abbreviation of the word "Barrett" (an American sniper rifle). In September 2021, Oleksandr was demobilized and returned to civilian life. On February 25, 2022, he took up arms again and went to the front. Initially, he ended up in the Kyiv region, where he, along with other volunteer partisans, defended Bucha and Irpin until the Armed Forces of Ukraine arrived. On March 18, Oleksandr joined the 59th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade. He was the sergeant major of a mechanized company. He participated in battles in the Mykolaiv, Kherson, and Donetsk regions. During the liberation of Kherson, he was wounded twice, but still returned to the front. On December 1, 2022, he was sent to the Donetsk region, where he later engaged in his final battle. For his honorable service, Oleksandr was awarded the "Golden Cross," "For Exemplary Service," "Badge of Honor," and "For Excellence in Military Service" III degree, as well as the "Cross of Military Honor." "Dad was incredible in everything. There are no words in the world that could describe and convey our love for him. He was, is, and will forever remain an example of a good person. It is very difficult to learn to live without him, and even more difficult to accept it. This is not sadness. This is a personal tragedy," said the fallen warrior's daughter, Anastasia. The hero was buried in cemetery No. 3 in the village of Mykulychi, Kyiv region. Oleksandr is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.