Born on October 18, 1988 in the village of Shyshkivka, Shevchenkivskyi district, Kharkiv region. Studied at Andriivska comprehensive school, Velyky-Burlutskyi district, Kharkiv region.
After graduating from school in 2006, he studied at the V.V. Dokuchaev Kharkiv Agrarian University, at the Faculty of Meteorology, but, without graduating from the university, he began his working career. In civilian life, he worked as a miscellaneous worker: a forwarder at LLC «LLC “YULIS-A”, a stacker-packer at PJSC »Kharkiv Tile Plant«, a loader in the procurement and storage workshop and an operator of the production area at LLC »YUTERM UKRAINE«. Volodymyr’s favorite pastime in his free time was fishing.
In 2019, he met a girl from the city of Chuguiv, fell in love, and since then, the city of Chuguiv has become his second home. In 2020, their daughter Elizaveta was born. In May 2023, during a full-scale war, Volodymyr and Olga got married.
In May 2023, he was called up for mobilization to serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine by the Chuguiv RTCC and SP and sent to the 425th separate assault battalion "Skala" as a driver-radio operator of the 3rd rifle section of the 3rd rifle platoon of the 2nd rifle company (from August 2025 - the 425th separate assault regiment "Skelya"). In early 2024, he was awarded the military rank of "junior sergeant" and appointed to the position of platoon commander of the 3rd assault platoon of the 2nd assault company.
According to operational information from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in the second decade of August 2024, fighting was taking place in the urban area near Toretsk in the settlements of Pivnichne and Zalizne, which are closely adjacent to Toretsk itself. The occupiers, with the support of armored groups, tried to break through the positions of Ukrainian troops and advance towards Toretsk. As of the morning of 08/20/2024, the enemy launched missile and air strikes on the positions of Ukrainian units and settlements located around Toretsk, a lot of shelling was carried out, including from multiple launch rocket systems, and many kamikaze drones were used to inflict damage. On the same day, the 425th separate assault battalion carried out a combat mission in the Toretsk direction to clear Russian positions, going on an assault on the Bradley infantry fighting vehicles. It was on this day that the enemy tried to advance forward in the Toretsk direction twenty-four times. The enemy was most active near Toretsk, where five strikes were made by nine guided bombs.
Circumstances of death:
The platoon, led by Volodymyr Kitsenko, was performing a combat mission near the settlement of Toretsk. The platoon's position was hit by guided bombs. The platoon's fighters, including the platoon commander, suffered fatal injuries (multiple injuries to the head and limbs), but it was not possible to evacuate the bodies of the deceased, and therefore the battalion commander was forced to notify the Chuguiv RTCC and SP that Volodymyr Kitsenko was considered missing. On 08/22/2024, the squad received a notification from the Chuguiv RTCC and SP of the Kharkiv region No. 140 dated 09/04/2024 that Volodymyr Kitsenko went missing on 08/20/2024 near the settlement of Toretsk, Bakhmut district, Donetsk region.
For almost 21 months, the wife and daughter believed that their husband and father was alive and would return home, but their hopes were dashed on 02.05.2026. On this day, the wife received notification No. 61 that her husband had died while performing combat missions related to the defense of the Motherland. On 20.08.2025, his body was transferred to the city of Chernihiv for the repatriation of bodies, and the identity of the deceased was already established there.
Volodymyr Kitsenko was buried on May 9, 2026 in the village of Rohan with full military honors.
The deceased soldier is survived by his father, mother, wife, and minor daughter.
During his military service, Volodymyr Kitsenko was repeatedly encouraged. After only five months of military service, Volodymyr Kitsenko was awarded the Order "For Courage" of the III degree by Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 578 dated September 12, 2023, and 10 days later he received an honorary breastplate from the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: "Golden Cross". In May 2026, the commander of the 425th Assault Regiment awarded Volodymyr (posthumously) the honorary distinction of the regiment: "Cross of the Hero of the Rock".
DECREE OF THE PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE No. 578/2023
About honoring with state awards of Ukraine
For personal courage shown in defending the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, selfless performance of military duty I decide:
To be awarded the Order "For Courage" of the 3rd degree
Volodymyr Ivanovich's KITSENKA - soldier
President of Ukraine V. ZELENSKYI
September 12, 2023
