Serhii M. Melnychenko (Ranner)

Serhii Melnychenko (call sign Ranner), a defender of Mariupol, was killed on May 8, 2022, during the defense of the Azovstal plant from Russian invaders. The warrior was 29 years old. Serhii was born in the capital. Since childhood, he lived in the village of Gatne in the Kyiv region. He studied at the local school. Then he graduated from the Kyiv Regional Vocational School of Construction and obtained the specialty of a car mechanic. He worked in his specialty. Later, he served in the military. He was professionally engaged in athletics, running, Thai boxing, boxing, freestyle wrestling, football, in particular, he played for the Gatne FC "Patriot" team. He received 31 awards in the running category. In 2013, he decided to go on contract service in the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Kyiv, where he took the position of a firefighter-rescuer. Three years later, he underwent training in providing medical assistance. In 2017-2018, he served in the 4th brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine as a rifleman. Since 2018, Serhii has been a fighter of the separate special forces unit of the National Guard of Ukraine "Azov". He held the position of a senior grenade launcher shooter. He participated in the Joint Forces Operation. That same year, he enrolled in the correspondence department of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, studying in the specialty "Finance, Banking and Insurance". From the first days of the full-scale war, Ranner fought against the Russian invaders together with his comrades-in-arms. He was an instructor (sniper) of the sniper group. In 2022, Junior Sergeant Serhii Melnychenko became a full cavalier of the Order of Courage, the last award was awarded to him posthumously. "My husband and I were together for almost 10 years. During this time, we faced many trials. And we overcame them worthily and always together. We always helped each other and were a strong support. Unfortunately, from the whole life together, we were together so little... He lived a short life, but during this time he showed himself as a professional in his field, a reliable friend and comrade, the best brother and son, a faithful, caring, attentive husband and the best dad in the world for our daughter Polina," said the hero's wife Iryna. Serhii is survived by his mother, grandmother, brother, two sisters, wife and daughter.