Денис Леонідович. Пономаренко (Аскет)

Veteran and volunteer Denys Ponomarenko (call sign Ascetic) was killed on March 16, 2022 in battle for the Kyiv region. The defender received fatal injuries near the village of Moshchun. He did not live 10 days to his 26th birthday. Denys was born in Chernihiv. After school, he graduated from the Chernihiv Vocational Railway Lyceum and obtained the profession of a passenger train conductor. He was fond of sports, engaged in hand-to-hand combat at the Chernihiv Shchit club. He was an assistant coach. He was engaged in national-patriotic upbringing of children, also took part in the organization and holding of camps for children. He was an instructor at trainings and training courses on military affairs for the civilian population. In 2015-2017, Denys fought in the Donbas as part of the Azov battalion, which later became part of the National Guard of Ukraine. Since 2019, he has been on business trips to the territory of the Joint Forces Operation. From the first days of the full-scale invasion of the Russian invaders, Ascetic stood up to defend his native lands. He joined the ranks of Azov as a combat medic, but did not have time to officially register. Together with his comrades-in-arms, he took part in the defense of the Kyiv region, where fierce battles took place in the spring. "Purposeful, decent, cheerful, sociable. He planned to start a family. He dreamed of his own business," his brother Oleksiy told about Denys. The defender's body was cremated. Part of the ashes were buried near his father, and the other part was scattered over the Carpathians. Denys is survived by his mother, brother and two sisters.