Oleksii V. Puchkov (Sport)

Military serviceman Oleksii Puchkov (call sign Sport) was killed in action on April 1, 2022, during the performance of a combat mission in the area of Kurakhove in Donetsk region. Oleksii was born in Alupka in Crimea. After school, he entered the Simferopol University, but stu there for only 1.5 years. In 2010, he moved to Zaporizhzhia, graduated from the Zaporizhzhia State Engineering Academy in the specialty "Thermal and Hydropower Engineering". He installed solar and wind stations. Since childhood, he was fond of sports. He practiced judo and later - the Cossack martial art "Zaporizhzhia Sich", competed in competitions and traveled to various Cossack camps. He trained children and dreamed of becoming a professional coach. He participated in the Revolution of Dignity. Then, as part of the volunteer battalion "Carpathian Sich", he fought in the ATO. During the full-scale war, Oleksii took up arms again. As part of one of the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, he was on the hottest front lines. "Oleksii was a very bright person, always brought wild energy into the world, loved children, and wanted a big family very much. It's hard to realize that he is no longer with us," said close friend Polina. "Oleksii is gone... I still can't believe it. But I lost my friend, a smart, kind, beautiful, and very good person. Because of the Russian scum, the stupid horde that I hate with all my heart. It would be very humane to find and shoot them all. A long and creative death should be invented for these scumbags. Ukraine will avenge every killed warrior, every killed child, woman, and elderly person. We are not tolerant like other countries that 'express concern'. We will find and kill every monster. It's such a pity, such a pity..." wrote friend Olha Heraschenko. Oleksii was buried at the cemetery of St. Nicholas in Zaporizhzhia. The defender is survived by his parents, two brothers, a sister, and a large family.