Володимир Володимирович. Демченко (Демон)

24-year-old Senior Lieutenant Volodymyr Demchenko (call sign Demon) was killed in the intensive care unit on June 10, 2023. On July 17, 2022, during the performance of a combat mission in Kharkiv, he came under fire from enemy "Iskanders". The officer was buried under debris, sustaining a severe traumatic brain injury, bruises, and fractures. He spent a long time in the intensive care unit and underwent several operations. On February 14, 2023, he was transferred to the rehabilitation department at the Oleksandrivska Hospital. There, he relearned how to speak, eat, drink, and dress. He began to learn how to walk. On May 23, he underwent another brain surgery, after which he fell into a coma. Ultimately, the warrior's heart could not withstand it. Volodymyr was born and lived in Kyiv. On his father's side, all the men were military officers - his father, uncle, grandfather, and great-grandfathers, so Volodymyr knew the value of his country's independence from a young age. He was involved in swimming and loved sports from childhood. He studied at the Kyiv Technical Lyceum. He graduated with honors from the National Technical University of Ukraine "Kyiv Polytechnic Institute named after Igor Sikorsky" with a degree in "Thermal Power Engineering. Energy Management and Engineering of Thermal Power Systems". In parallel, he underwent training at the military department and became a reserve officer. From the age of 20, he held the position of a leading engineer at the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. On February 11, 2022, the man signed a contract with the Territorial Defense. He served in the ranks of the 242nd separate battalion of the 241st separate brigade of the Territorial Defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He was an officer of the staff planning group. On the first day of the invasion, February 24, 2022, he could not take up the defense due to illness, so he started serving on March 1. He told his parents that there is no other work now than to defend the Motherland, and he does not want to sit at home when others go to the front. After the liberation of the Kyiv region, he went to the Kharkiv region together with his comrades-in-arms. Leaving, he told his parents: "You will be proud of me." During his service, Volodymyr was awarded medals "For the Defense of the Hero City of Kharkiv", "For Faithful Service" of the III degree, and the award "For Courage". "Volodya was never indifferent to other people's grief and tried to help people. He wanted to devote his life to the military profession. If a task had to be performed, there were no obstacles for him. He could go to the senior officer's office when others were afraid and resolve all the necessary issues. A professionally trained, meticulous, conscientious and attentive officer. He was involved in planning the defense operation, helped the battalion with the organization of defense and the preparation of relevant documents. Principled and fair in resolving any issues, Volodymyr Demchenko was an exceptional person - a strong personality, a brave warrior, a conscious patriot. He did everything for the future victory of Ukraine!" - this is how the officer was remembered by his comrades-in-arms. According to one of his fellow soldiers, on July 17, 2022, five hours before the shelling, Volodymyr said he had dreamed that he saw himself on the floor in a corridor strewn with debris. When he was pulled from under the rubble, he was placed in the same corridor he had described. Volodymyr was buried in his native Kyiv. He is survived by his parents, other relatives, friends, and comrades-in-arms.