Ruslan P. Prokopenko (Lymon)

44-year-old Sergeant Ruslan Prokopenko (call sign Lemon) was killed on October 29, 2022 near the village of Pavlivka in the Donetsk region. During the execution of a combat mission, he remained to cover the retreat of his comrades and received fatal injuries as a result of enemy shelling. The soldier saved his comrades, as he always said: "I am ready to give my life for my brothers-in-arms, and they are for mine." Ruslan was born and lived in Sumy. He studied at school No. 7. Then he received the profession of a carpenter-parquet layer at the Sumy Vocational and Technical School No. 12. For about 10 years he worked at the Sumy Machine-Building Scientific and Production Association. In 2015, the man went to war as a volunteer. For 8 years he fought in the ATO / OOS zone. He served in the 72nd separate mechanized brigade named after the Black Zaporozhians. He was a squad commander, a commander of an infantry fighting vehicle. And although Ruslan was tired after all the years spent at war, he continued to sign new contracts for service and returned to the front line. He said: "I only know how to fight." Ruslan was courageous and brave. Commanders and brothers-in-arms respected him for his professionalism. The full-scale invasion found the fighter, together with his comrades-in-arms, in full readiness. From the first days of the war, his brigade continued to defend Ukraine from the Russian invaders. Ruslan took part in battles for the Kyiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Donetsk regions. On October 22, 2022, he went to the zero positions, and a week later he was killed. He was considered missing for almost 8 months, but a DNA examination confirmed the worst. "Ruslan is a man with a capital letter. A good, loving, generous, caring, responsible, cheerful, cheerful man, he always supported, he was a support in everything, behind him like a stone wall. In December 2022, we planned to get married with Ruslan, he was supposed to be given leave, but unfortunately this did not happen. When we were brought the message that Ruslan was missing, we prayed to the last that he was alive or in captivity, but the miracle did not happen... This is my most painful loss, which I still cannot come to terms with. A part of me went with him, I miss him very much," said the deceased's beloved Victoria. "The father was, first of all, a wise advisor for me, since he had a large baggage of knowledge and gladly shared his experience. He was quite strict, but always straightforward and told it like it is, so thanks to him I could rationally assess the situation and draw conclusions. He rarely showed emotions and taught me to remain sober-minded and act prudently in any situation," added the warrior's daughter. Ruslan was seen off on his last journey on June 23, 2023. The warrior was buried with all military honors on the Alley of Glory of the Baranivskyi cemetery in his hometown. Ruslan is survived by his mother, sister, daughter, civil wife, relatives, friends and brothers-in-arms.