As part of the “Light of Remembrance” initiative, launched by the non-governmental organization “Order of St. Panteleimon” with the support of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, every Friday at 10:00 a.m. we honor the medical personnel who lost their lives as a result of Russia’s armed aggression.
He saved lives under fire, and when there was no other choice, he gave his own to stop the enemy. Oleksandr Astrakhantsev, a combat medic with the 24th Mechanized Brigade named after King Danylo, remains forever in the ranks.
Oleksandr was born on August 3, 1969, in Berdychiv. After earning his paramedic certification at a local medical college, he dedicated his life to helping people. However, medicine was not his only passion.
Oleksandr was a multifaceted person, combining the roles of martial arts master, collector, and avid literature enthusiast.
His war began back in 2014. As a combat medic, Oleksandr served in the hottest spots of the ATO/JFO, pulling his comrades back from the brink of death. It was the war, despite all the pain, that brought him together with his beloved: he met his wife, Natalia, in the hospital while recovering from his wounds.
In 2019, Oleksandr moved to be with his wife in Volnovakha, where he worked as an ambulance paramedic.
Oleksandr’s contract was set to end two days before the full-scale invasion. He could have left, but decided to stay. On February 24, 2022, he was back on the front lines as part of the “Royal Brigade.”
On April 7, 2022, near Popasna, Oleksandr fought his final battle. Severely wounded and refusing to surrender or retreat, he blew himself up along with the occupiers in the trench.
The medic was laid to rest in the village of Hryshkivtsi in the Zhytomyr region. The Hero is survived by his mother, wife, and daughter.
May the memory of this soldier, who chose the path of honor, live on. Heroes never die!
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About the "Light of Remembrance" Project
The Order of St. Panteleimon, with the support of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, in collaboration with the National Scientific Medical Library of Ukraine (NSMLU) and the Order’s Regional Councils, is implementing the "Light of Remembrance" project. We are collecting stories of fallen medical workers so that every act of heroism is recorded in history.
If you have information about fallen medical workers, please send it to: [email protected].
(Be sure to include “Light of Memory,” your region, and your last name in the subject line.)