Serhii V. Kyrylenko

23-year-old border guard Serhii Kyrylenko (call sign Master) died on July 6, 2023, near the village of Zherebianky in the Zaporizhzhia region. The group he was part of was given the combat mission to storm the enemy positions and hold them. The border guards broke through the defense line of the Russian troops, which allowed the defense forces to continue the counteroffensive in this section of the front. During the execution of this task, Serhii received numerous fatal injuries. Serhii was born in Starokostiantyniv, Khmilnytskyi region. In 2016, he graduated from the Kamianets-Podilskyi Lyceum with enhanced military training, and in 2020, he graduated from the National Academy of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. In 2022, he obtained a master's degree in "Law" at the Interregional Academy of Personnel Management. Serhii's military path in the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine began in 2020. Initially, he served in the Zhytomyr border detachment, holding the position of senior inspector. In July 2021, he was transferred to the position of senior officer of the administrative and jurisdictional activity group of the headquarters of the 23rd Maritime Protection Detachment of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, stationed in Mariupol, Donetsk region. In November of the same year, he was promoted to the rank of senior lieutenant. The full-scale invasion found the border guard in Mariupol, where he led a combat group on one of the most difficult defense lines of the city. In February 2022, Serhii and his comrades-in-arms held back the invaders on the outskirts of the city for 13 hellish days. He participated in the defense and protection of the Mariupol Shipyard and the port. On March 21, 2022, he received an order to leave the besieged city. He showed courage and humanity during the evacuation from occupied Mariupol, helping two families to evacuate. Serhii had to pass through 22 checkpoints, during which he recorded the locations of the enemy Russian troops and passed this information to the SBU upon arriving in Zaporizhzhia. Later, he underwent professional selection for the 10th border detachment "Dozor" and on October 9, 2022, his birthday, joined the special forces and continued his military service. Since June 2023, he has been on the front line again. "Serhii was a bright, sunny person. A cheerful and eternally smiling boy with a great sense of humor, the ability to give a precise piece of advice, a sincere and boundless love, and a desire to help people. He was a man of honor, dignity, and sought justice, was devoted to his cause, was a true patriot of his country and a courageous warrior, he was one of those who said: 'Who, if not us?'. For me, Serhii is my soul and unspeakable love, the memory of which I carry," his beloved Nicol said. The hero was buried in the Alley of Glory of the Rakove cemetery in Khmilnytskyi. Serhii is survived by his parents, a civil wife, and a younger brother. Posthumously, Serhii Kyrylenko was awarded the title of "Hero of Ukraine" with the Order of the Golden Star. The warrior was also awarded the rank of captain and the title of "Honorary Citizen of the Khmilnytskyi City Territorial Community".