Oleksandr V. Vasiliev (Dierzkii)

The commander of the mortar battery, Oleksandr Vasiliev (call sign Derzkyi), was killed on May 7, 2022, while carrying out a combat mission in the area of the village of Tsyrkuny in the Kharkiv region. The 47-year-old officer was in a vehicle when it ran over an enemy anti-tank mine. Along with Oleksandr, two of his comrades also . Oleksandr was born in Chernivtsi. He stu at the artillery school in Khmelnytskyi and Odesa. He dedicated most of his life to military service. He was a participant in the Anti-Terrorist Operation/Joint Forces Operation and held the status of "Combatant." During the full-scale war, he was called up for military service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and went to defend the country against Russian occupiers. He served in the separate presidential brigade named after Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytskyi. Comrades describe him as a knowledgeable officer who was well-versed in his duties. "He was an experienced and persistent officer, knew how to command, and understood officer's business. The guys characterize him as audacious. He could infiltrate with his unit, deliver an artillery strike on the enemy, and exit unnoticed. Everyone respected him," said a comrade with the call sign Artist. The defender was buried at the Alley of Heroes in the Svishtov Cemetery in Kremenchuk. Oleksandr is survived by his wife, daughter, and sister.