Sergeant Mykola Omelchenko was killed on February 5, 2023, in a tank battle with Russian occupiers in the city of Vuhledar. He was 52 years old.
Mykola was born in the settlement of Maiak, Donetsk Region. In 1987, he graduated from the Oktiabrska Secondary School. The following year, he was conscripted for mandatory military service. His stories about army life remained a part of family conversations throughout his life. He was engaged in entrepreneurial activities and had a deep love for nature, fishing, and hunting.
When the full-scale war began, Mykola did not hesitate to take up arms and volunteer for the front line. He joined the 109th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In January 2023, as part of a unit deployed to support the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, he was sent to defend Vuhledar.
“He could not stand aside when the occupiers came to our native land. He treated military service as the mission of his entire life. He was the best RPG gunner and was prepared for anything. But fate chose him...” his wife, Liudmyla, recalled.
The warrior was laid to rest at the cemetery in the village of Pankivka, Pokrovsk District, among the pine forest he loved so much.
Mykola is survived by his wife, two sons, a granddaughter, and his parents.
At 9:00 a.m., Ukraine observes the National Minute of Silence. The Donetsk Regional Military Administration and the Memorial Heroes Platform honor the memory of the fallen defenders from Donetsk Region.