Yevhenii O. Aleksiichuk (Lotchyk)

22-year-old defender Yevhen Aleksiichuk (call sign Pilot) sustained combat injuries in Kurakhove, Donetsk region. On December 16, 2023, he died in the hospital in Pokrovsk. Yevhen was from the city of Shostka, Sumy region. He graduated from Voronizka Secondary School named after Kulish, and later enrolled at the Ivan Kozhedub Kharkiv National Air Force University. He dreamed of becoming a military man. He was passionate about sports. He defended Ukraine in the ATO/JFO zone. On February 24, 2022, Yevhen was also on duty. He fought in the ranks of the 5th Tank Company, 2nd Tank Battalion, 1st Separate Tank Brigade, where he held the position of gunner. He had the rank of senior soldier. He was awarded the "Cossack Cross" and "Steel Cross" chest badges. "He was a wonderful example for me and our younger brother. He raised me when our parents were at work, I was constantly by his side. He advised me on how to act correctly, supported me in everything, I could tell him absolutely everything. He was a very brave person and, no matter what happened, he would say his favorite phrase: 'We will break through! Brother, everything will be fine!'" - said Andrii Serhiiuk, the younger brother of the fallen. "Yevhen was a very good person, he always supported, was positive. He never gave up... We always believed in him, waited for him to come home, no one believed that something like this could happen to him..." - added his cousin Anastasia Shapoval. Yevhen was buried on the Alley of Glory in Shostka. The defender left behind his mother, father, brothers, grandmother, and beloved girlfriend.