Lieutenant Pavlo Chumak, call sign “Sheriff,” was killed on March 11, 2022, in Mariupol. He was 30 years old.
Together with naval border guards, he held back the enemy’s advance into the city under heavy shelling. During one of the attacks, he sustained fatal injuries.
Pavlo was born in Mariupol, worked in the police, obtained a law degree, and later joined the 23rd Maritime Guard Detachment of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. He served in a special operations unit.
From the first days of the full-scale war, he defended the city. Even under constant shelling, he supported his family—bringing them food and water and helping children. On March 9, he moved his family to a bomb shelter; that was the last time they saw each other.
He is survived by his wife and three children. He was posthumously awarded the Order “For Courage,” 3rd class.
At 9:00 a.m., a nationwide minute of silence is observed. The Donetsk Regional Military Administration and the Memorial of Heroes platform honor fallen defenders from Donetsk region.