Oleksandr P. Melnychenko

28-year-old Sergeant Major Oleksandr Melnychenko (call sign Bandera) died on June 29, 2024 near the village of Minkovka in the Donetsk region. He suffered fatal injuries during enemy artillery shelling. Oleksandr was born in the city of Korosten, Zhytomyr region. In 2014, he graduated from the Kozyatyn Higher Vocational School of Railway Transport. He loved fishing and was passionate about cars. In 2016, he decided to defend the country and joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He participated in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) / Joint Forces Operation (JFO) in various directions. He met the full-scale invasion together with his comrades-in-arms. He defended the Chernihiv and Donetsk regions. In the fall of 2022, he was transferred to the 30th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Prince Kostiantyn Ostrozkyi. He held the position of machine gun section commander. Since 2023, he has been defending the Bakhmut direction. During his service, Oleksandr was awarded the medals "Defender of the Fatherland" and "For the Defense of the Native State". "For me, this is the dearest and most beloved person in the whole world. This is my ray of sunshine, my happiness and the meaning of my life," said the wife of the fallen warrior, Vladyslava. The military was buried in the Alley of Heroes of the cemetery in his hometown. Oleksandr is survived by his mother, sisters, wife, and son.