Oleksii O. Durmasenko (Dynamo)

You, brother, friend, florist, artist, designer, athlete, personality, patriot, volunteer, fighter of the 93rd brigade, "cyborg" with the call sign Dynamo. Alyosha Durmasenko was born on June 1, 1989, in the Obolon district of Kyiv. He was a delicate but very active and talented boy who easily became passionate about things. Oleksiy is left-handed, and all left-handed people are exceptionally imaginative and creative. His parents, of course, noticed this and sent him to the Academy of Arts, where he took his first steps as an artist. Alyosha painted, sculpted, and constructed. In his free time, he happily spent time with his parents and younger sister Masha, whom he loved and protected dearly. They enjoyed playing ball, building castles in the sandbox, swinging on swings, swimming at their favorite beach, and in winter, sledding, making snowmen, and having snowball fights… Over the years, Oleksiy developed a fanatical love for football, becoming a skilled midfielder. It was in football that his ambitious, combative qualities and need to help friends manifested. Of course, football began to take up a lot of time, and Alyosha was transferred from the academy to secondary school No. 268, where he began to form as a personality. Over 8 years, Lyoshka played for CSKA and SFC "Dobro." But art always remained within him. In 1998, he had another younger sister, Nastya, with whom he loved to play and have fun… At that time, Alyosha attended the Central House of Youth and Adolescents near "Arsenal" and took lessons in academic drawing. He mastered watercolor and pastel very well. After finishing school, Oleksiy felt a natural need for creativity and art. He began to paint avant-garde pictures and collages. In his free time, his father sometimes involved him in decorative projects for decorating clubs and restaurants. A little later, Alyosha decided to enroll in the Institute of Decorative and Applied Arts named after Boychuk and, on his second attempt, was admitted to the Faculty of Applied Arts. It seemed he wanted to do everything at once. At the same time, Oleksiy attended stylist courses with a prominent master, tried to create a comedy group for "Comedy Club" with friends, was interested in the modeling business, and worked as a florist's apprentice. Floristry became his main calling. Realizing that this craft was his future, Lyoshka worked with inspiration, creating wonderful floral compositions for people while studying part-time at the institute. Among his clients were many well-known personalities. Later, in April 2011, with his parents' consent, Alyosha decided to go to Moscow to improve his qualifications and build a career. Things weren't smooth at first, but eventually, the elite salons there believed in him and appreciated his desire and talent. In 2 years, he became the leading florist at an elite salon in Rublyovka, where his clients included local oligarchs, famous showmen, businessmen, and even some of our wealthy fugitives. Alyoshka was very hardworking and diligent, working 12-15 hours with 2-3 days off a month. When he came home on vacation, he never forgot about his sisters and parents. During his last visit to Kyiv, Oleksiy could not stand aside and took an active part in the Revolution of Dignity when the people rose against the tyranny of Yanukovych's gang. He fought on the barricades on Hrushevskoho Street and received a shrapnel wound to his leg. Alyosha was always a supporter of establishing justice; he wanted to live and work on European, civilized principles. He was a modern, progressive person! Back in 2004, Alyosha, along with his father, went to Maidan with a self-made banner "Yushchenko for president!" and later was deeply hurt when he betrayed him. He was only 15, but he had so much ambition! After the victory of Euromaidan, Alyosha went back to Moscow. However, with the onset of Russian aggression against his native homeland, he did not hesitate to quit his prestigious job, return to Kyiv, and enlist as a volunteer in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He wanted to protect his home and his sisters! Only his father and loyal friends know how much Lyosha struggled to join the ranks of Ukraine's defenders. He felt the incompetence of our "military registration" bureaucrats firsthand, but he achieved his goal because he was always used to going all the way. While others often looked for reasons not to do something, Oleksiy always sought opportunities to fulfill his aspirations. After completing a 2-week training in the Lviv region, he joined the 93rd mechanized brigade, taking the position of a senior shooter. After a month of training, he and his combat comrades were sent to the front line, to one of the hottest spots in the ATO — in the village of Pisky, where Alyosha dignifiedly held off the bandits and occupiers. However, this was not enough for him — very soon, he asked the command to send him for rotation to Donetsk airport. The guys spent over 2 weeks at the airport on their knees under bullets and shells but repelled the terrorists! Together with two other comrades-in-arms, Oleksiy raised our flag at the highest point of the enemy's terminal. He was the last to secure the flag on the roof, although a bullet from an enemy sniper pierced his shoe and burned his leg. After the battles for the airport, Lyosha was awarded a 5-day vacation. He returned home sick. His father suggested he see a doctor to at least treat his bronchitis a little. But the son categorically replied that there was no time for treatment, as there was a catastrophic shortage of fighters at the airport, and there was no one to replace him. The vacation passed quickly. The family barely had time to enjoy each other before they had to send their son back into the very hell created on our land by Putin and his henchmen. It seemed that nothing foreshadowed trouble when the father, daughters, and friends saw the hero off to Pisky — it was drizzling, and everyone was in a positive mood. After all, rain on the road is a good sign. They made plans for the future, wanting to go for a barbecue after Alyosha's return, to visit the grave of their beloved grandfather. Lyoshka had indeed become very mature, sensible, and wise. He even said in farewell: "In war, I learned to value life. When I return, I will live differently and maybe even get married…" During the last week before the tragedy, Oleksiy called his father every day. He said that he would no longer be sent to the airport and might be allowed to take another vacation. He complained that it was "so quiet at the front that it was boring." These words were spoken on December 28, 2014, at 11:00 PM. The next day at 9:30 AM, during the "Minsk ceasefire," a Russian sabotage group infiltrated the rear of our fortified area. A fierce battle ensued. Alyosha was one of the first to rush to defend his comrades. However, he did not notice that an enemy saboteur was behind him, who threw a grenade. Oleksiy managed to react, but a fatal fragment hit him right in the back of the head. The Hero was gone! In this battle, two other servicemen also died. Oleksiy's comrades achieved victory. But the price of that victory was the lives of three of Ukraine's best sons. They can never be returned, but we know that Heroes do not die. Lyosha lives on forever! Eternal Glory to the Hero! Eternal glory to the best sons of Ukraine! 2015, D.O.L. (father)