Serhii O. Pudov (Staryi)

Senior soldier Serhii Pudov (call sign Old) died on July 21, 2023 near the village of Mala Tokmachka in the Zaporizhzhia region. In the battle with the occupiers, he came under mortar fire and received fatal wounds. The defender was 47 years old. Serhii grew up and lived in Khmilnytskyi. He obtained the profession of an electric gas welder at Khmilnytskyi Vocational School No. 11. He worked in various specialties, and his last activity was construction. He was passionate about cars and knew them well. In 2014-2015, he participated in the ATO in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Serhii voluntarily joined the ranks of the volunteer formation to defend the state. In January 2023, he became a fighter of the 33rd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He held the position of reconnaissance squad gunner-operator. Together with his comrades-in-arms, he fought in the Zaporizhzhia direction. "My dad was always fair and brave, loyal and kind, courageous and sincere. He went to defend Ukraine and his people back in 2014, never feared death and wanted only peace. I am proud of my dad. His loyalty to Ukraine, the Ukrainian people, and his comrades-in-arms was until his last breath. He is my Hero!" - said the fighter's daughter Valeriia. The soldier was buried in the Alley of Glory in the Rakove microdistrict of Khmilnytskyi. Serhii is survived by his mother, daughter, and grandchildren.