Ruslan S. Ofitserenko (Khellboi)

Senior Soldier Ruslan Ofitsiarenko (call sign Hellboy) was killed on March 14, 2024 near the village of Ivanivske in the Donetsk region. That day, the defender came under mortar fire and sustained injuries incompatible with life. The warrior was 25 years old. Ruslan was born in Hadiach, Poltava region. Until the age of three, he lived with his family in the village of Brovarky. When his parents divorced, he moved to live with his mother and older brother in the village of Vlasivka. He graduated from school there. After the 9th grade, he entered the Zinkiv Regional Vocational Education Center, where he obtained the profession of an electrician. He loved sports, read a lot, and was interested in cooking. After finishing his studies, he served in the army for two years. Returning to civilian life, he went abroad to work, where he worked for several years. He tried himself in various professions and visited different countries: Poland, the Czech Republic, and Denmark. But he still returned home, to his native Vlasivka, where his beloved girlfriend Nadiia was waiting for him. He worked at the Zinkiv Forestry. From the first days of the full-scale invasion, Ruslan was in the local territorial defense. And on April 1, 2022, he was mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine. After 3 months of training, he began serving in the 1st battalion of the 5th separate assault Kyiv brigade, holding the position of operator of the mortar battery commander's control section. He fought in the Bakhmut direction. "Ruslan was a very good person, he never refused to help others. He was a curious and open guy. My brother is a soulful person. There are very few like him," recalls his cousin Natalia Shyshkina. The day before his death, the young man received the award of the commander of the military unit - the ring "Loyalty and Honor." He was also awarded other decorations, including the honorary badge of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine "For Loyalty to Military Service" of the II degree. They said goodbye to the defender on March 19, 2024 in the village of Vlasivka. That's where he was buried. Ruslan is survived by his mother, older brother, beloved girlfriend, and cousins. The memory of the defender was honored on the Alley of Glory in the city of Zinkiv, where his photo was placed.