Yurii V. Poliakov (Poliak)

Junior Sergeant Yuriy Polyakov (call sign Polyak) was killed on August 19, 2022, while carrying out a combat mission in the area of the village of Kodema in the Donetsk region. The warrior was 34 years old. Yuriy was born and lived in the city of Pokrovsk, Donetsk region. He graduated from the Donetsk National Technical University. He worked as the deputy head of the section at the Pokrovskoye mine management. During the full-scale Russian invasion, the man defended his native Donbas in the ranks of the 24th separate assault battalion "Aydar" of the 53rd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He was a gun commander. "He was a good person, dreamed of a bright future for his son. He loved life and his native country very much. He volunteered to defend Ukraine from the occupiers in April 2020," said the wife of the deceased, Victoria. "Our fellow countryman, the commander of the howitzer-artillery platoon of the howitzer-artillery battery, defending his native land, gave his life on August 19 in the Bakhmut district. We express our condolences to the relatives and friends of Yuriy. We thank them for raising a true patriot of Ukraine," said the hero's fellow countrymen. The defender was buried in his hometown. Yuriy is survived by his parents, wife and son. Posthumously, Junior Sergeant Yuriy Polyakov was awarded the Order of Courage of the III degree.