Valentyn V. Petrenko (Panas)

Junior Sergeant Valentyn Petrenko (call sign Panas) was killed on June 7, 2023, while carrying out a combat mission near the village of Dibrova in the Donetsk region. In two months, on August 8, the defender would have turned 45 years old. Valentyn was from the village of Oleksandrivka in the Kirovohrad region. He graduated from the Chernihiv College of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. He had two higher educations, which he obtained at the National Academy of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and the Kirovohrad National Technical University. He worked in the internal affairs bodies, the tax service, and private structures. In 2015, the man volunteered for the war. He participated in the ATO as part of the 80th separate air assault brigade. At first, he was in the fire support company, holding the position of machine gun crew commander, then he moved to the battalion's reconnaissance. He fought in the Luhansk region (Shchastia, Stanytsia Luhanska, Toshkivka) and the Donetsk region (Pisky, Nevelske, Avdiivka, Pervomaiske, Toretsk, Luhanske). After 7 years, in 2022, when the Russian invaders began a full-scale war, Valentyn went to the front again. This time, he defended his country in the ranks of the 100th separate brigade of the territorial defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He held the position of commander of the reconnaissance platoon reconnaissance company. "Valentyn went to all combat operations together with his subordinates. At one point, he carried out seven wounded comrades from under heavy shelling. He covered a friend with his own body. The military unit where Valentyn fought was stationed near Bakhmut and Chasovyi Yar. He remained faithful to his comrades, his people, and his Motherland until his last breath," the deceased's loved ones wrote. The scout was buried in his native village. At home, Valentyn was awaited by his mother and two daughters.