Serhii M. Petukhovskyi (Syvyi)

Sergeant Serhii Petukhovsky was killed on August 9, 2023 near the settlement of Urozhayne in the Donetsk region. Ukrainian soldiers came under massive artillery fire. An enemy mine hit near Serhii. The fallen warrior could only be retrieved from the battlefield on the third day. Serhii was born in the village of Novoselytsia, Vinnytsia region, in a family of a mechanic and a teacher. He was the eldest of three children. In 1985, he enrolled at Vinnytsia Higher Vocational School No. 5. He mastered the profession of a tile-mosaic layer. This profession became his great passion. Serhii worked abroad and skillfully carried out orders in Vinnytsia. He told his wife during walks around the city: "I laid tiles here, and near the Bastille shopping center I also worked." In 1988, Serhii served his military service in Germany, holding the position of a platoon commander. In 1990, he received the next rank of sergeant and returned to Ukraine. He married his beloved Galyna. Children were born - son Serhii and daughter Anya. "For the children, the father is a holiday. Serhii was always there, played with the little ones, rejoiced in their achievements. Together we were able to give the children everything we didn't have. For us, he was the best, he tried, he did everything for the family. He wanted to finish the construction of the house he inherited from his grandfather. From the first days of our acquaintance, he captivated me with his cheerful disposition. He had a lot of friends, was attentive to details. He never went anywhere without telling me and the children that he loves us," Galyna, his wife, recounted. On February 24, 2022, Serhii enlisted in the Ukrainian army. He did not share service details with his relatives - he did not want to worry them. On February 27, he took up arms in the ranks of one of the aviation brigades of the Air Force, took the position of the senior sergeant of the battalion guard company. He was a wise commander. He received the next rank of senior sergeant. After some time, the guard unit was sent to the newly formed combined arms brigade of the Air Force. Serhii was one of those who first joined the defenders, wishing to continue service in the rifle unit. After training, these brave people found themselves in the Donetsk direction, where, together with the marines, they liberated Ukrainian land. "I was amazed by his courage and thirst to do everything possible and impossible. He constantly cared for his people, helped his comrades-in-arms, and did not forget to call the family at the first opportunity. He was a very capable person," recalled a comrade-in-arms with the call sign Sivyi. Serhii was buried on August 18, 2023 in his native village. He left behind a wife, children, mother, brother, and sister. He was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage, III degree.