Serhii M. Bahlai (Bandera)

31-year-old paratrooper Serhii Bahlai (call sign Bandera) was killed on February 4, 2023 in the Chasiv Yar area in Donetsk region. During the military actions, the fighter received fatal injuries. Serhii was born in Chervonohrad, Lviv region. He graduated from the Chervonohrad Professional Mining and Construction Lyceum, obtaining the professions of plasterer and painter. He worked as a laborer. He participated in the ATO in Donbas. Later he returned to civilian life. His last job was at the ATB supermarket. During the full-scale war, the man took up arms to protect his country and family from the enemy. He became a serviceman of the 80th separate air assault brigade. He held the position of gunner of the air mobile unit. "Serhii was a very good person. We had just got married recently - 14.06.2022... He accepted my son Nazarchyk as his own. He always said: 'Meet, this is my son'. He took on any job. And when the war started, he immediately went to the military enlistment office... How much I and his parents begged him: 'Serhii, enough, you have already fought your share in the ATO'. And he replied: 'I'm going there so that they don't come here'." The war takes the best," the widow of the fallen said. The warrior was buried in the Alley of Heroes of the cemetery in the village of Bendiuha near Chervonohrad. Serhii left behind his mother Maria, father Mykola, sister Mariana, wife Olena and son Nazar. Senior soldier Serhii Bahlai was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage of the III degree.