Oleksandr S. Hordieiev (Kit)

Sergeant Oleksandr Hordieiev (call sign Cat) was killed on March 28, 2024, in the Berislav region of Kherson Oblast. He was a deminer and was fatally wounded by shrapnel when an explosive device detonated during demining operations. He was 35 years old. Oleksandr was born in the village of Veselie in Zaporizhia Oblast. After finishing school, he enrolled at Zaporizhia National University but did not graduate, deciding to start his own business instead. He tried various ventures, searching for his niche, including a quail and chipmunk farm, pig breeding, concrete block production, tombstone manufacturing, and fishing. Oleksandr's greatest passion since childhood was fishing. It was not just a hobby but a sport in which he reached a professional level, participating in competitions across Ukraine and becoming an expert in all its nuances. His most notable catch was a 25-kilogram grass carp, which he caught during a competition near Dnipro. Over 12 years ago, Oleksandr became a partner of Nova Poshta, opening a partner branch in his native village of Veselie. He later expanded to a second large branch in Vasylivka, where he met his future wife, Yana. Alongside his Nova Poshta partnership, Oleksandr founded a separate business, registering his own trademark and obtaining quality certifications. This involved the production of animal feed and fish bait. He conducted research on fish nutrition in different regions and seasons, using the results to develop recipes for his artisanal bait products. He later began producing t-shirts, caps, and other merchandise for anglers, which were well-known among local fishermen even without advertising. Oleksandr lived an interesting and diverse life, always eager to learn new things and develop himself. He and his wife traveled extensively throughout Ukraine and abroad. He had many ideas, plans, and prospects, including a desire to study psychology. When the full-scale war began, the Hordieiev family lived in Vasylivka, which came under occupation in early March 2022. Oleksandr and Yana continued working until their branch was shut down. After three months of occupation, Oleksandr organized a convoy and, despite the risks and difficulties, evacuated all his employees and their families to Zaporizhia. Oleksandr was eventually conscripted into the Ukrainian Navy. He trained as a deminer and was assigned to the 36th Separate Marine Brigade, later deploying to the Donetsk region. Due to his responsibility, he was appointed as the commander of the engineer-sapper platoon's assault landing craft section. "Oleksandr was kind, sincere, and open. He never got angry at people and always tried to help everyone. He had been working since early childhood, helping his mother, as he lost his father at the age of 6. He always loved to travel and discover new things. He dreamed of writing a book about all his businesses, so that people would know that one should never give up," said Yana Hordiieva. Oleksandr was buried in the village of Tomakivka, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. He is survived by his mother, wife, and daughter, who was 4 years old at the time of his death.