Born on April 25, 1984 in the village of Mospanove, Chuguiv district, Kharkiv region. Later, he moved with his parents to the city of Chuguiv. In 1991, he entered the first grade of the general education school of grades I-III of the city of Chuguiv. In 1992, he transferred to the general education school of grades I-III of the city of Chuguiv, and in 2001 he graduated with a gold medal. In 2001, he entered the Kharkiv Military University, majoring in Radio Engineering.
In 2006, he graduated from the Ivan Kozhedub Kharkiv Air Force University and received a qualification as a radio engineer. After graduating, having received the rank of officer, he served in various positions in military unit A2860, stationed in the city of Brovary, Kyiv region.
In 2014, he was transferred to the 302nd Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (military unit A1215) in Kharkiv. During the full-scale invasion of Russian troops in Ukraine, he served as the operational duty command post of the 302nd Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment. On May 17, 2024, he was posthumously awarded the rank of lieutenant colonel.
This is an excerpt from Yuriy Ostapenko's job description upon his appointment to this position: (photo)
During his service, he received awards from the Minister of Defense of Ukraine for conscientious service, and in August 2022, by order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine dated August 19, 2022 No. 1107, he was awarded the Honorary Breastplate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine "Steel Cross".
Marital status:
Father: Mykola Hryhorovych Ostapenko, lives in Chuhuiv.
Mother: Valentyna Mytrofanivna Ostapenko, lives in Chuhuiv.
Sister: Ostapenko Svitlana Mykolaivna, lives in Chuhuiv.
Wife: Ostapenko Viktoria Nikolaevna, lives in Chuguiev.
Son: Ostapenko Andriy Yuriyovych, born in 2009.
Son: Ostapenko Maksym Yuriyovych, born in 2019.
Circumstances of death:
Died on 05/16/2024 on combat duty near the village of Stara Vodolaga, Kharkiv district, Kharkiv region. During combat duty, he received injuries incompatible with life as a result of the arrival of a S-300 missile at the command post of military unit 302 of the Kharkiv Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade.
Yuriy Ostapenko was buried on May 19, 2024 in the city of Chuguiv on the Alley of Memory with military honors.