Oleksandr M. Protsko

Soldier Oleksandr Protsenko (call sign Ded) was killed on July 1, 2024, during combat operations near the village of Spirne in Donetsk region. The defender was 49 years old. Oleksandr was born in the village of Volodkova Divytsia in Chernihiv region. He studied at Nizhyn Secondary School No. 2. He continued his education at Vocational School No. 11. He was fond of sports. He loved fishing. He lived with his family in the city of Nizhyn. He worked in the militarized security department of the Police Protection Department in Kyiv. Since 2014, he has participated in the ATO in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. He has repeatedly undergone additional military training both in Ukraine and abroad. At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, he became one of those who repelled the attack on Nizhyn. He then continued to defend the Motherland in eastern Ukraine. He served in the 4th separate operational purpose brigade "Rubizh" of the National Guard of Ukraine. In October 2023, he received shrapnel wounds, after which there was a long rehabilitation. He was waiting for the moment to return to the ranks again. He said: "I will never leave my comrades-in-arms, if I started this business, I will fight to the last breath." And that's what Oleksandr did. "He was and is an incredible person, the best dad there ever was. Always cheerful, positive, smiling even where I thought it was just impossible. This is a person who lived for the war, he had a goal - to live in a free, independent Ukraine, he fought for a decent future for me, my family and all people. This is a person who was ready to give his life for a comrade, to help in any situation. There are not enough words to write how proud I am of my dad, how grateful I am for all the love and care, for what he instilled in me. I inherited his love for the country. It is an honor to be the daughter of such a Hero!" - said the daughter of the deceased Alona. The hero was buried in the Alley of Glory of the Frunzivsky cemetery in Nizhyn. Oleksandr is survived by his wife, two daughters, a granddaughter and his mother.