Oleksii V. Stepanenko (Partyzan)

26-year-old fighter Oleksiy Stepanenko (call sign Partizan) was killed on October 18, 2022, near Bakhmut in the Donetsk region. While carrying out a combat mission, he sustained fatal injuries due to an artillery shelling by the occupiers. Oleksiy was born in the village of Velykyi Krupil in the Kyiv region. He studied at the Department of Extracurricular Education of the M.P. Drahomanov National Pedagogical University of Kyiv. He was an honor student and the head of the trade union of the engineering and pedagogical faculty. After successfully graduating with a master's degree in 2019, he continued to work as an informatics teacher at the capital's specialized school No. 102. He planned to enter graduate school. In his free time, he loved fishing. On February 25, 2022, he took up arms and stood to defend Kyiv. He fought as part of the 244th separate battalion of the 112th separate territorial defense brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. After the liberation of Kyiv region, he and his comrades went to defend other fronts. "Oleksiy came from a family of educators, was a responsible and active student, and made a significant contribution to the development of student self-government. From the first days of the full-scale invasion of Russia, he stood to defend Ukraine. The war cut short the life of a young talented educator. It is important for everyone to remember who has given us the opportunity to live, learn, and work. We are proud of our graduate. Eternal and bright memory to the Hero!" — was written on the page of the Department of Extracurricular Education. Oleksiy was buried in the village of Pylypche in the Kyiv region. The defender is survived by his mother, relatives, close friends, and comrades.