Serhii V. Deren

Sergiy Vasylovych Deren was born on July 16, 1994, in the village of Rusava, Yampil District, Vinnytsia Oblast. He grew up as a good child, loved his sisters, respected his parents and older brother, and adored life. In 2010, he graduated from the educational complex "Preschool Institution 'General Secondary School of I–II degrees'." In June 2013, he received a certificate of complete general secondary education and the qualification of "Computer Typist of I category. Accountant for the registration of accounting data of I category" at the Mazuriv Agricultural Center of Vocational and Technical Education in the Chernivtsi District of Vinnytsia Oblast. On September 23, 2013, he was accepted for military service under contract, taking the position of assistant grenade launcher in the patrol battalion of the Vinnytsia regiment of the Western Territorial Command of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine (he signed a contract for 3 years). In the winter of 2013–2014, together with his comrades, he participated in tasks to maintain public order in Kyiv during the Revolution of Dignity. In March 2014, his unit joined the Western Operational Territorial Association of the National Guard of Ukraine, and after the announcement of partial mobilization, Sergiy's stepfather, 42-year-old Mykola Ivanovych, was called up from the reserve and took the position of senior shooter in the newly formed operational battalion. From July 28, 2014, Sergiy Deren actively participated in the anti-terrorist operation in Eastern Ukraine, repeatedly demonstrating courage and selflessness. On September 21, he was on duty at a checkpoint, performing duties to check vehicles entering the city of Mariupol from the "Eastern" microdistrict. That day, despite the ceasefire regime declared by the Ukrainian side, a group of 5 terrorists in a "Gazelle" vehicle, which appeared in the area of Tahanrozi Street, began a chaotic mortar shelling, which affected not only the guards' checkpoint but also neighboring private houses. Two civilians were seriously injured as a result of this attack, and another shrapnel from a mine, hitting under the protective helmet, took the life of soldier Sergiy Deren around 16:45. His last post on his social media page read: "Life is not successful when you have a cool car, a house, a bunch of girls, but when your parents are healthy, your beloved is by your side, and your son grows up to be a good person…". Combat comrades remember Sergiy exclusively positively; in their memory, he forever remained a good, reliable, responsible, polite, kind friend who always came to help. Nataliya Deren, Sergiy's sister: "My brother was always kind, helped everyone. He dreamed of being a soldier since childhood. He had an accounting education. He wanted to get a higher education and also create his own family, raise children. He never complained about the conditions he was in during missions. He said he was just doing his duty. On September 30, my brother was supposed to be given leave; we were looking forward to it so much…".