Oleksii V. Didenko (Kapral)

Senior Soldier Oleksii Didenko (call sign Corporal) was killed on May 7, 2022, in battle with Russian occupiers in the area of the village of Malinivka, Zaporizhzhia region. In April, the defender turned 45 years old. Oleksii was from the city of Vasylivka, Zaporizhzhia region. He graduated from the Dnipropetrovsk State Technical University of Railway Transport and obtained the qualification of a railway operation engineer. He lived in Zaporizhzhia. There he worked at the "Nova Poshta", holding the position of a loading area specialist. He loved life, animals, and nature very much. He adored gardening. He said that for happiness, one needs the Motherland and love. Oleksii went to the front voluntarily, and on March 10, 2022, he began service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He served in the 110th separate brigade of the territorial defense. He was a rifleman of the 115th battalion. In the very first days, he underwent training as a MANPADS shooter. And the day after completing the training, he shot down the enemy Ka-52 "Alligator" helicopter. The destruction of several helicopters by Ukrainian defenders that day forced the enemy to turn back a column of 20 pieces of equipment and cancel the offensive. For this feat, Oleksii was awarded the Order of Courage of the III degree. "Oleksii was a person with a soul, he was very principled, intolerant of any deception and dishonesty. Just an extraordinarily good, kind person. He dreamed of a peaceful life for his children, wanted to raise them and give them a decent education. But he had to defend their future at the cost of his own life," his colleagues said. At home, the hero was awaited by his wife and two daughters.