Born on January 22, 1970 in the city of Artemivsk (Bakhmut) in the family of a miner. When Yuri was three years old, he moved with his parents to the city of Chuguiv, where he lived for over 10 years. In the military town of Bashkyrivka, he attended the kindergarten "Veselka". After graduating from Chuguivsk comprehensive school No. 2, he entered the construction technical school of the city of Kharkiv with a degree in "Architecture". During 1989-1991, he did his military service in the city of Samara. Returning to civilian life, he worked as a panel truck driver at the Kharkiv auto depot No. 1. Later, he tried his hand at private business: together with his brother, they made cabinet furniture. For a long time, he worked as a driver, and then as a convoy mechanic at ATP-16363, a Ukrainian company that provided transportation services. Colleagues remember him as a calm person and an interesting conversationalist.
His brother Serhiy described him very well, noting that «Yura loved his work very much. He gave his all, he was a specialist in his field. I think he loved work for communicating with different people, for being needed, and traveling around the country is a kind of romance. I don’t know what was difficult about his work. Probably not getting enough sleep on the flight and delivering the cargo on time. And he prepared the car for departure meticulously. He was pleased that he was able to work as a mechanic in his ATP, to be useful…».
On April 13, 2023, when the war was gaining momentum, the article «The Desire to Defend Ukraine Despite Everything» appeared on the website of the company «INTERNATIONAL CARGO DELIVERY», which very clearly outlines Yuriy’s character traits, showing his conscious choice to go and defend the Motherland: «Even during the pandemic, when transport in Kharkiv was not functioning, he rode a bicycle to work. From Alekseevka to Rohan, that is, across the entire city. We were amazed that he did this after an eye cancer operation, when he had already received the status of a person with disabilities. He made it to work on time every day.
Before the start of the full-scale war, Yuriy fell and broke his arm. Since February 24, 2022, with his arm in a cast, he went to the military registration and enlistment office three times and asked to be taken into the ranks of the defenders. And each time he was refused. But on the fourth time, he cut off the cast himself, because it was impossible to get to the hospital due to shelling, and came to the military registration and enlistment office again. And this time he was accepted into service!
In the spring of 2022, he voluntarily, through the Industrial RTCC and the Joint Venture of the city of Kharkiv, stood up for the defense of the Motherland. He was sent to serve in the 17th separate rifle battalion (military unit A7101) as a medical station radio operator. Later, he was appointed as an ambulance driver. He participated in the liberation of the Kharkiv region. In the summer of 2023, he was transferred to the 5th separate assault brigade as a medical instructor rifleman. On September 29, 2023, the brigade received the honorary name "Kyiv". In the summer and fall of 2023, it conducted combat operations in the Bakhmut area. In 2024, units of the brigade conducted defensive operations on the outskirts of Chasovy Yar and near the settlements of Stupochky and Predtechyne.
His brother Serhiy also serves in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They constantly kept in touch, met several times on the front roads. Yuriy said little about the war: "We protect the youth. As much as we can. I ask you, colleagues, to work. We need a strong rear. It is important to know that they are waiting for us, that they are helping us.".
Circumstances of death:
At the beginning of 2024, the situation in the Kramatorsk direction, namely in the area of the settlements of Avdiivka, Chasiv Yar, Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, began to deteriorate. The enemy, taking advantage of the lack of means of destruction among the Ukrainian defenders and the superiority in manpower and equipment, occupied Bakhmut, Avdiivka and made powerful advances on Chasiv Yar. During the fighting, the medical units of the brigade also actively operated, withdrawing, carrying out, and transporting wounded fighters from the front lines. They delivered the wounded to relatively safe points around the clock - in order to provide assistance to the wounded as quickly as possible. During such actions, Yuriy received two concussions. The last one ended with his being urgently taken to the Dnipro military hospital. Doctors fought for the life of their colleague, but failed to save his life. Yuriy died on 04/25/2024. Yuri was buried on April 29, 2024 at the cemetery of the village of Klugino-Bashkyrivka.
Yuriy is survived by his mother and brother, who continues to defend Ukraine.
Yuriy Alekseevich has been repeatedly awarded with diplomas, thanks, and commemorative medals. In March 2024, he received the state award "War Veteran" Breastplate.
