Serhii V. Trofimov (Serzhant)

Sergeant Serhii Trofimov (call sign Sergeant) died on October 11, 2023, in the area of the settlement of Lastochkyne in the Donetsk region. While performing his duties, he came under enemy air attack and received fatal injuries. The defender was 36 years old. Serhii was born in the village of Rubanivka, Kherson region. After finishing school, he went to serve in the army. He worked in various cities and in different jobs. He always spent his free time with his son and his beloved niece. During the full-scale war, in January 2023, the man was drafted into the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Serhii served in the 53rd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Prince Volodymyr Monomakh. He was a driver of the reconnaissance platoon. "He was the best person I knew. My mother is his sister, we lived not far from each other. Serhii was with us every day. He became like a father to me, he taught me a lot. I was 14 years old when my mother died. At the cemetery, Serhii said: 'I will never abandon you, don't be afraid.' We were very close. He often traveled to other cities for work, and when he came back, I was the happiest. He always spent a lot of time with me and his little son. When he had days off, we always gathered as a family. Serhii was always positive, kind, and helped with everything. As soon as he was able to leave the occupation, he immediately went to the front and ended up in Avdiivka. He always said: 'I'm fighting so that my children don't have to fight.' We will never forget his best smile and jokes. There will never be another like him. I am grateful to him for what he did for us. This is an irreparable loss that we still don't want to believe. We all miss him so much and still can't believe he's no longer with us... Now he has become our angel. I will never forget him, because he is the only and dearest to me," said the deceased's niece, Daryna Kovalova. The warrior was buried at the Kushuhum cemetery in the Zaporizhzhia region. Serhii left behind two brothers, a son, nephews, other relatives, friends, and comrades-in-arms.