Serhii H. Mahazinov (Chif)

42-year-old soldier Serhii Mahazynov (call sign Chief) was killed on June 3, 2023 near the settlement of Bilohorivka in Luhansk region. During the performance of a combat mission, the fighter received fatal injuries as a result of enemy artillery shelling. Serhii was from the city of Horlivka in Donetsk region. He graduated from the automotive technical school there. He worked as an auto mechanic. He was passionate about cars. He was interested in history and weapons. He loved to cook, sing songs, and travel. In 2014, when Russian military forces occupied Donbas and Serhii's hometown, he and his family were forced to move to Vyshhorod in the Kyiv region. There they began to build their lives and waited for the Ukrainian army to liberate their native lands. However, on February 24, 2022, a full-scale invasion began. Serhii could not remain on the sidelines, so he joined the local territorial defense and began to defend the Kyiv region. In October, he went to serve in the airborne assault troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He fought in the 81st Separate Airborne Brigade. Until the last, he believed in victory over the enemy. "Serhii was a true patriot of Ukraine, loved the Ukrainian language, and gladly sang Ukrainian songs. He was an example for his children, a caring son, a loving husband, and a true friend. He was a true master of his craft, which he loved very much. Since October 2022, he has been defending Ukraine in the ranks of the Armed Forces. He was wounded, suffered a concussion, and after recovering, returned to the front," said the warrior's wife, Oksana. "There are not a million words to describe how wonderful a person Serhii was. Always friendly, cheerful. He was well-read and loved to tell interesting stories. He never complained about difficulties and knew that he was protecting the peaceful life of his family. The pain of the loss is enormous. We thank him for everything. In our hearts, he has always been, is, and will be a Hero! His memory will be with us forever. Serhii, we love you very much," wrote a close person of the fallen. The hero was buried in Vyshhorod in the Kyiv region. Serhii is survived by his parents, wife, daughter, son, relatives, and friends.