Serhii I. Karaivan

Chief Sergeant Serhii Karaiwan was killed in action while performing a combat mission on the night of March 10, 2022, near the village of Zakharivka in Kyiv region. Serhii's unit went on a mission where during a gunfight, the warrior received bullet wounds incompatible with life. On March 8, he last made contact - he called to congratulate his mother on the holiday, saying that everything was fine, he was serving and performing tasks... The defender remains forever 31 years old. Serhii was born in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region. After graduating from school №63, he entered the Kryvyi Rih National University, where he received a degree in mining engineering. He was involved in sports from childhood, was a master of sports in weightlifting, and enjoyed swimming. Serhii began his warrior's path in 2014. He fought as part of the 17th Separate Tank Brigade. He participated in battles in Ilovaisk and Debaltseve. He was wounded but returned to the front line again. He met the full-scale war on the front line as part of the 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade, as a squad commander and scout of the 108th Battalion. For his service, Serhii Karaiwan was awarded the Medal "For the Defense of the Motherland," the "10th Mountain Assault Brigade" breastplate, the "Defender of the Fatherland" medal, the "Sign of Honor" breastplate, and posthumously the "Order of Courage" III degree. "My uncle went through hell, participated in the ATO, JFO. He was wounded in Ilovaisk. He survived the hellish 2014 in the battles for Ilovaisk, was ready to blow himself up so as not to be captured. He was then a fighter of the BMP-2 airborne assault in the 17th Separate Tank Brigade. He survived thanks to his ingenuity and courage. He participated in the national selection for the Ukrainian team "Warrior Games" and in the all-Ukrainian competitions "Invictus Games" in powerlifting and cycling. My uncle always had a smile on his face, no matter what, and that's how everyone remembered him. He was incredibly kind and fair. A true patriot of his homeland," recalled his nephew Mark. The defender was buried at the Alley of Glory of the Central Cemetery in his hometown. Serhii is survived by his parents, brother, and relatives. Serhii's path during the ATO is documented in the book "The War That Wasn't. Chronicle of the Ilovaisk Tragedy." A memorial plaque was installed on the facade of school №63, where Serhii stu.