Oleksandr O. Svishch (Farsh)

30-year-old soldier Oleksandr Svishch (call sign Farsh) died on September 12, 2023, during the liberation of the village of Andriivka in the Donetsk region as a result of enemy mortar shelling. He was wounded and was retreating to the evacuation point from the battlefield. At that moment, an enemy mine hit the dugout. Oleksandr was born and lived in Odesa. He studied at the Odesa State Environmental University, had incomplete higher education. In civilian life, he worked as a personal bodyguard. He was engaged in sports: bodybuilding and diving. He adored the Black Sea, so his studies and hobbies were related to the aquatic environment. At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the man voluntarily took up the defense of Ukraine. Initially, he fought as part of the TRO "Azov Kyiv", defending the village of Moshchun and the city of Bucha. After the liberation of the Kyiv region, he became a grenade launcher in the already formed unit of the Special Operations Forces "Azov Kyiv". In September 2022, he was transferred to the 3rd separate assault brigade and became an assault reconnaissance soldier. He took part in battles in the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson directions, as well as in the battles for the city of Bakhmut. During his lifetime, the warrior received the awards "Golden Cross", "For Military Service to Ukraine" and "For Wounds". Posthumously, he was awarded the Order of Courage of the III degree, and the title of "Hero of Ukraine" with the award of the Order of the Golden Star. "My son was a breath of air, a sip of freedom for me! The love he gave to me and his daughter and wife cannot be replaced... My son taught me to love and be strong at the same time!" - said the defender's mother. Oleksandr was buried in the Alley of Glory of the Western Cemetery in Odesa. On September 13, 2024, a memorial plaque in honor of the fallen graduate Oleksandr Svishch was opened on the facade of Odesa Gymnasium No. 26.