Valentyn A. Liovochkin (Lova)

Soldier Valentyn Lyovochkin was killed on March 12, 2022 during the battle for Popasna in Luhansk region. For nine months, his relatives and friends searched for the warrior's body. Valentyn was 21 years old. He was born in the village of Saltykova Divytsia in Chernihiv region. Since 2014, he lived in the village of Irzhavets. He played sports and dreamed of becoming a professional footballer. He graduated from school in 2018. He enrolled in the Dihtiarivskyi Professional Agrarian Lyceum. The following year, he signed a contract for military service in the 95th Separate Airmobile Brigade. He studied in Lviv together with foreign military personnel. He participated in demining operations in Donetsk region. "He was the oldest of my six children, and everything in his childhood was for him. We bought a lot of things for him, he loved the color white. Valik was very patient, supported and helped in everything. He acquired education and worked on his own. His younger brothers and sisters knew that whatever Valik said, that's how it should be. They asked him for advice as an older brother," said his mother Oksana Schneider. In 2021, he obtained the qualifications of an agricultural machinery and equipment repair mechanic, tractor operator-mechanic, and driver. On August 30, 2021, he signed a new contract with military unit A1910, where he held the position of senior rifleman-gunner of the 13th Separate Airmobile Battalion named after Hero of Ukraine Colonel Taras Seniuk. He continued to defend Ukraine as part of the 95th Separate Airmobile Brigade during the full-scale invasion. Valentyn was buried on November 29, 2022 in the cemetery in the village of Irzhavets. The warrior is survived by his mother, brothers and sisters. Posthumously, the defender was awarded the Order of Courage III degree.