Oleksandr V. Kukurba (Kuma)

Oleksandr Vasyliovych Kukurba was born on September 18, 1994, in the village of Verkhnii Verbizh, Kolomyia district, Ivano-Frankivsk region. He studied at the Nyzhnovyrbizka secondary school, later enrolled in the Kyiv Military Lyceum named after Ivan Bohun, and later completed his studies at the Ivan Kozhedub Kharkiv National University of the Air Force. He served in the military as the head of intelligence of the staff of the 299th Tactical Aviation Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. During the repulsion of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he carried out 100 combat sorties. Oleksandr Kukurba destroyed approximately 900 Russian invaders, 55 tanks, and 140 units of armored vehicles. By mid-April 2022, the attack aircraft had destroyed more than 20 tanks, about 50 combat armored vehicles and other means, as well as more than 300 enemy personnel. For this, the pilot was awarded the title of "Hero of Ukraine" with the presentation of the "Golden Star" order. He died on July 26, 2022, in a battle in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Oleksandr tried to eject, but the parachute did not open due to the low altitude. On July 29, 2022, he was buried in his native village. He is survived by his mother, grandmother, and brother.