Senior Soldier Oleksandr Leontiev was killed in action on May 14, 2022, in Mariupol. He was 35 years old.
Oleksandr was born on September 17, 1986, in Mariupol. He studied at School No. 53 and later graduated from the Polytechnic Professional College.
"There was almost a ten-year age difference between my brother and me. I used to take him to kindergarten on my bicycle, walk him to school, and was always by his side," recalled his sister, Nataliia.
Oleksandr earned a degree in electromechanics from Pryazovskyi State Technical University. He later completed his compulsory military service and worked as an energy engineer at the Elektro-Stal enterprise.
"He had many friends and was always ready to help anyone in need. I remember when the refrigerator door came off at my house. I tied it up with shoelaces so it wouldn't fall off, then called my brother. He came over immediately and fixed everything. In fact, he could repair just about anything—he understood both electrical systems and construction work. He truly had golden hands. He also loved animals, especially his Labrador, Letizia," Nataliia said.
Oleksandr was caring, compassionate, and deeply devoted to his family. He led an active lifestyle, enjoyed sports, cycling, and traveling.
After the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, he defended Mariupol as a member of the 1st Donetsk Border Guard Detachment. On May 13, 2022, he and his comrades were sent to the Azovstal steel plant to take up positions in the city's Left Bank District and reinforce the plant's defense. As they were moving through underground tunnels, Russian aircraft launched a missile and bomb strike. Contact with the group was lost.
On May 15, it was confirmed that the tunnel the soldiers had been using had collapsed as a result of the airstrike. A search team identified Oleksandr Leontiev among the fallen by his documents, personal belongings, and physical characteristics.
In April 2026, his sister Nataliia received confirmation of a second DNA match. The defender was laid to rest at Lychakiv Cemetery in Lviv.
Oleksandr was posthumously awarded the Order for Courage, Third Class.
He is survived by his sister and niece.
At 9:00 a.m., Ukraine observes the National Minute of Silence. The Donetsk Regional Military Administration and the Memorial of Heroes platform honor the fallen defenders from the Donetsk region.