Stepan S. Stepanov (Odesa, Bomzh)

35-year-old machine gunner Stepan Stepanov (call sign Odesa) was killed on September 10, 2022, during the de-occupation of the city of Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region. The soldier sustained fatal injuries near the village of Kondrashivka as a result of an enemy strike on his armored personnel carrier. Stepan was born in the village of Bezmyatizhne in the Kharkiv region. After school, he obtained a profession as a tractor mechanic at the Shevchenko Professional Agricultural Lyceum. He then immediately enrolled in the Shevchenko DOSAAF and trained as a truck driver. He worked in construction and at meat processing plants. Whatever he undertook, he always saw through to the end. He was a jack of all trades, with a wide range of skills. He was very passionate about fishing, both in summer and winter, although he did not like to eat fish and always shared his catches. He participated in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) and served as a BMP driver. He received many awards for his conscientious and professional performance of his duties. Therefore, with the onset of full-scale war, he did not hesitate to return to service to destroy the Russian occupiers. Stepan served in the 92nd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after the Cossack chieftain Ivan Sirko. He dreamed of liberating his native Kharkiv region. However, it was there that he fought his last battle. "He was a protector and mentor for the entire family. He never left anyone in trouble and always helped as much as he could. He asked to hold on a little longer, promised to drive the evil out of his native land, and he kept his promise. He just didn't have time to see and hug his children, whom he hadn't seen since the beginning of the war, and he dreamed of this very much," said his sister Klavdiya Belous. The defender was buried at the Alley of Glory in Kharkiv. Stepan is survived by his wife, two young children, sisters, and brothers.