Oleksii M. Churbakov (Dyzel)

Senior soldier Oleksii Churbakov (call sign Diesel) was killed on November 8, 2023, while carrying out a combat mission in the area of the village of Klishchiyivka, Donetsk region. The warrior was 34 years old. Oleksii was born in the village of Vilne, Dnipropetrovsk region. In 2006, he obtained a secondary education at the Chervonoshakhtarska secondary school. In 2011, he graduated from the Kryvyi Rih National University and received the qualification of a mechanical engineer. He worked as a mechanic at the construction company "Olvia". He was passionate about cars. In March 2023, the man joined the defense of his native country as part of the 80th Airborne Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Initially, he was a senior rifleman. He fought in the Bakhmut direction, near the village of Ivanivske. At the end of May, while carrying out a combat mission, he was wounded. In October, he took the position of senior operator of the radio electronic warfare platoon of the airborne battalion and was sent to the village of Klishchiyivka to carry out combat missions. "Oleksii was a kind, sensitive, well-mannered and very interesting person, the best friend, godfather and wonderful father of two sons. The children loved him very much, they were always with him - where the father, there are the sons. He was the mainstay of the whole family, even when he was not around. Oleksii repeatedly had to pull out and lead his comrades-in-arms from combat positions. His perseverance, intelligence, courage and struggle for the territorial integrity of Ukraine inspired admiration in his comrades-in-arms. Having a real opportunity to surrender in captivity, he fought to the last," said the fallen warrior's sister Halyna. The hero was buried in his native village. Oleksii is survived by his mother, wife, two sons, sisters, friends and comrades-in-arms. Oleksii Churbakov was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage of the III degree.