Oleksandr S. Dubovikov (Sviatyi)

Lieutenant Oleksandr Dubovikov (call sign Saint) was killed on May 23, 2022, a day before his 25th birthday, in the Lyman area in the Donetsk region. While carrying out a combat mission, the officer went to help his comrades. He received a fatal gunshot wound to the neck from a shot by a Russian sniper. Oleksandr was born in Ochakiv, Mykolaiv region. He received secondary education. In 2015, the then 18-year-old young man joined the defense of Ukraine. In 2021, he graduated from the Odesa Military Academy, where he studied at the faculty of training specialists for airborne assault troops. After graduation, the young officer joined the 79th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade. He commanded a platoon. He carried out combat missions in the area of the Joint Forces Operation. Oleksandr met the full-scale invasion together with his comrades-in-arms on the front line. He continued to defend Ukraine from the occupiers. "We lived together for 3 years until he went back to the JFO zone after the academy, where he met the full-scale invasion. He was the best person, he always helped everyone. He even had the call sign 'Saint' because he would get the guys out of encirclement without losses. I found out about his death when I called his phone and Russian military personnel answered. Then we searched for over a year, believed, and hoped. But we received DNA confirmation..." said the deceased officer's beloved Nadiia Yushko. On June 17, 2023, Oleksandr was buried in his native Ochakiv. The defender left behind his mother, sister, girlfriend, other relatives, friends, and comrades-in-arms.