Oleksii L. Znaiko (Monhol)

Senior soldier Oleksiy Znaiko (call sign Mongol) was killed in action on June 6, 2022, while performing a combat mission near the village of Bohorodychne in Donetsk region. The fighter received severe injuries and burns as a result of enemy shelling with unguided aerial rockets from a helicopter. He was evacuated, but on the way to the hospital, the defender's heart stopped. He did not live to see his 27th birthday, just 8 days away. Oleksiy was born in the village of Sokolova Balka, Poltava region. He graduated from the 9th grade of the local school. Then he received the profession of an electric welder at the Poltava Professional Technical School No. 23. He worked at LLC "Sokil". He graduated from the Donbas State Machine-Building Academy with a degree in Personnel Management. Since 2015, he has been participating in the ATO/OOS in Donbas. He repeatedly performed combat missions on the front line, earned the respect of his comrades and commanders. In 2018, he got married. He lived with his family in the city of Kostyantynivka, Donetsk region. During the full-scale Russian invasion, Oleksiy defended Ukraine in the ranks of the 90th separate airmobile battalion named after the Hero of Ukraine Senior Lieutenant Ivan Zubykov of the 81st brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He was the driver of the reconnaissance platoon. "Oleksiy was a professional. Brave, courageous, fair, risky. He took part in the ATO/OOS. On March 6, 2022, near the village of Hlynske, Izyum district, he destroyed enemy armored vehicles with a grenade launcher. During the battles for the village of Kamianka, he evacuated wounded and killed comrades-in-arms, despite tank fire on his position. Risking his own life, he saved many comrades. He was ready to go to hell to take his friends out of there. Having received a shrapnel wound, he refused treatment and returned to the unit that was fighting heavy battles in the village of Bohorodychne. Mongol was always there where it was dangerous. Until his last breath, he bravely defended our country," said the commander of the deceased Roman. "Oleksiy is a brave and courageous man," said his wife Iryna. The defender was buried in his native village. At home, Oleksiy's parents, wife, and two children were waiting for him.