Yurii Yu. Kovzalenko

22-year-old soldier Yurii Kovzalenko (call sign Cross) died on February 23, 2023, while carrying out a combat mission near the village of Vodiane in the Donetsk region. The fighter was born in Bila Tserkva, Kyiv region. He graduated from Bila Tserkva Secondary School No. 6, then studied at Vocational School No. 5, where he obtained the profession of an automotive mechanic. He began his military service in 2020, signing a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. During the full-scale war, Yurii was a gunner in the anti-aircraft missile and artillery battery of the anti-aircraft missile and artillery division of the 72nd separate mechanized brigade. "Since childhood, my brother knew that he would be, like his father, a military man, so he purposefully went to fulfill his dream. During his schooling, after classes, he hurried to the sports section, actively engaged in sports, including wrestling. In 2020, Yura signed a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He defended the country from the age of 20," said the warrior's sister Yulia. The defender was buried in the Alley of Glory of the Sukhyi Yar cemetery in Bila Tserkva. Yurii Kovzalenko is survived by his mother Farida and sister Yulia. Posthumously, Yurii Kovzalenko was awarded the Order of Courage of the III degree.