Sviatoslav D. Dodon

Dodon Sviatoslav Dmytrovych was born on January 17, 1993, in the village of Nerushai, Tatarbunar District, Odesa Oblast. He has been serving in the ranks of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine since September 2017, working as a driver-sapper in the pyrotechnic works unit of the special purpose emergency rescue squad of the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Odesa Oblast. His service in the State Emergency Service helped Sviatoslav meet his love—his wife Emilia. Soon, a daughter named Marina was born into the family of rescuers. "He was a charming father, husband, friend, and son, completely devoted to his work and family. Being a driver was his thing. He used to say to me, 'Don't take it personally, but the car is my second wife. It's my baby.' And I laughed and replied, 'Yes, yes. That's yours.' He was never afraid of anything and always devoted himself fully to his work," shares Emilia, recalling her husband. In November 2022, during demining operations in Mykolaiv Oblast near the city of Snihurivka, Sviatoslav was blown up by an enemy mine. Unfortunately, the injuries proved to be incompatible with life. "He was a very good person, a professional in his field. He was a skilled driver and truly a close friend to us. He always diligently performed his official duties. Sviatoslav is a hero who gave his life for Ukraine so that people could live peacefully in the area where he worked, unfortunately, for the last time. This is an irreparable loss for our unit," says Oleksii Shulha, a friend of the fallen sapper. For personal courage and selfless actions demonstrated in defense of the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and loyalty to the military oath, Sviatoslav Dmytrovych Dodon was posthumously awarded the Order of "For Courage" of the III degree. In honor of Sviatoslav Dodon, a street was named in the village of Nerushai, where he was born and raised.