Olena O. Butenko

Olena Olegivna Butenko was born on October 27, 1984, in Kharkiv. In 2018, she decided to dedicate her life to the protection of the state border. She diligently and proactively approached the performance of her official duties, establishing herself as a disciplined, educated, hardworking, and conscientious serviceman. Under any circumstances, she remained a decent and honest individual. She continuously worked on improving her professional level. In 2019, Olena Butenko underwent training as part of the "New Face of the Border" project at the Main Training Center for Personnel of the State Border Guard Service named after Major General Ihor Momot. With the onset of military aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, holding the status of a mother of many children, Olena remained to defend the integrity and state sovereignty of Ukraine in the Kharkiv region. On September 9, 2022, during her service at the "Solonytsivka" checkpoint, Master Sergeant Olena Butenko, while checking documents and vehicles to detect enemy reconnaissance and sabotage groups, came under rocket fire, as a result of which she was killed. For personal courage and selfless actions demonstrated in defense of the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and loyalty to her military oath, Master Sergeant Olena Olegivna Butenko was posthumously awarded the Order of "For Courage" of the III degree.