Petro I. Andriichenko

Petro Ivanovych Andriychenko was born on June 11, 1980, in the village of Tsarychanka, Dnipropetrovsk region. In February 2002, he became a cadet at the Kryvyi Rih School of Professional Training for Police Officers, and later worked in the support unit of the Tsarychanka District Police Department. Since 2021, he served as an assistant to the duty officer of the duty unit of Police Station No. 11 of the Dnipro District Police Department of the National Police of Ukraine in the Dnipropetrovsk region. He had 20 years of experience working in law enforcement. His wife, Maria Andriychenko, shares memories of her deceased husband: "We met in school and immediately liked each other. Petro said at that time: 'This is my beloved.' To see me, he would come every day from the neighboring village. We dated for several years, and in 2003 we got married. Just two years later, our family welcomed our son Yevhen." She recounted that Petro was always a caring and attentive husband. He did everything for his family out of love and spent a lot of time with them. He always took responsibility for his wife and son, which manifested in constant care and concern. They celebrated holidays together, in a warm family circle. Maria always awaited him home from work and supported her husband. She mentioned that at work, Petro was responsible and serious, but when he returned home and took off his police uniform, he became attentive, loving, and caring. "This is a heavy loss for our family; my son and I are struggling to cope with it... During the day, work helps to distract, but in the evening it becomes sad. We miss him so much... My son is always nearby, supporting and protecting me, and I support him," Maria said. She added that since 2014, her husband participated in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) and defended Ukraine's integrity. In 2022, when the full-scale Russian invasion began, he did not hesitate to defend his homeland again. In Yevhen's memories, his father will forever remain his main mentor, a sincere friend, and an example of a true man: "Whenever I faced difficulties, I turned to my father. He always found the right words and gave sound advice. He instilled a love for sports in me from childhood and wanted me to get a medical education. I followed his guidance." Yevhen is currently studying in the medical field in Poltava. He is proud of his father, who became an example of a true Hero, who gave his life for Ukraine in the fight against the Russian occupiers. Yevhen takes care of a hamster, which was a family pet — his father bought it at the beginning of the war and named it Bayraktar. Colleague Yevhen Manzyuk recounts that he met Petro Ivanovych in the early days of serving in the police in the town of Tsarychanka. "He is a role model. Responsible, balanced, and brave. He made correct and just decisions in work and life. When the full-scale war began, Petro was one of the first to go to defend his country from enemies. A patriot of his country, a true police officer, and a hero," he shares his memories. Colleague Yevheniy Mosurenko remembers Petro Andriychenko as an open, cheerful, bright, and honest person. "He never stopped halfway; he always did things the right way at work. He treated colleagues with sincerity. You could approach Petro with any problem, and he would never refuse anyone. We listened to his advice, loved, and respected him. He was sincere and kind both in life and in service. We really miss our friend and colleague..." the deceased's colleague recalls with sadness. The 42-year-old police officer was killed on July 27, 2022, in Donetsk region. For courage and heroism displayed in defending the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and loyalty to military oath, Petro Andriychenko was posthumously awarded the "Defender of the Fatherland" medal.