Pavlo O. Kolesnikov

Born on April 8, 1975, in the city of Mohyliv-Podilskyi, Vinnytsia region, in a military family. Later, he moved with his family to the city of Mykolaiv. In 1992, he graduated from secondary school No. 53 in Mykolaiv. Since 1992, he served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 1992, he entered the Odesa Institute of Ground Forces (city of Odesa). He was later transferred to the Kharkiv Guards Higher Tank Command School named after the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR (city of Kharkiv), which he graduated from in 1996, receiving the military qualification of "engineer in the operation of armored and automotive equipment." He served as a platoon commander and a technical training instructor in the 300th training tank regiment of the 169th training center of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (military unit A1414, urban-type settlement Desna, Kozelets district, Chernihiv region). On December 20, 2004, Major P.O. Kolesnikov was discharged from the Armed Forces of Ukraine to the reserve due to staff reductions. He returned to the city of Mykolaiv. Until 2010, he worked in the Central District Department of the Mykolaiv City Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Mykolaiv region, then at a company selling and installing electrical equipment in the city of Mykolaiv. On March 19, 2014, he was mobilized as a volunteer into the Armed Forces of Ukraine by the Central Mykolaiv Combined District Military Commissariat of Mykolaiv region. He served as a senior officer, then as the deputy military commissar - head of the mobilization department of the Central Mykolaiv Combined District Military Commissariat of Mykolaiv region (city of Mykolaiv). On August 19, 2014, he was sent to the 79th Separate Airborne Brigade of the High Mobility Airborne Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (military unit A0224, city of Mykolaiv) as the commander of a platoon in the 2nd Airborne Assault Company of the 1st Airborne Assault Battalion. Since August 2014, he participated in the anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine. He was a participant in the defense of Donetsk International Airport. At the airport, he was the senior of the group that defended the new terminal. By the order of the Minister of Defense of Ukraine dated November 3, 2014, Major P.O. Kolesnikov was awarded the next military rank of lieutenant colonel, but the officer did not get to wear the new epaulettes. On November 7, 2014, at 16:05, Lieutenant Colonel Kolesnikov was killed by a sniper's bullet while choosing a new combat position for the mortar. On November 10, 2014, he was buried at the Alley of Glory in the Central City Cemetery of Mykolaiv in the village of Mishkovo-Pohorilove, Zhovtneve (since 2016 - Vitovske) district of Mykolaiv region.