Junior Sergeant Danylo Menshykov died on September 22, 2023, near the village of Chervona Krynytsia in the Zaporizhzhia region. During enemy artillery shelling, he shielded his brothers-in-arms and sustained fatal wounds. Just a month prior, on August 16, the warrior had turned 21.
Danylo was originally from the city of Druzhkivka. He studied agricultural engineering at the Donbas Agricultural College of the Luhansk National Agrarian University. He enjoyed sports, playing football, volleyball, and basketball.
In the first days of the full-scale war, on February 26, 2022, he joined the ranks of Ukraine's defenders and headed to the front lines. Initially, he served in the 81st Separate Airmobile Brigade, defending hot spots across Luhansk and Donetsk regions. After suffering a wound and undergoing lengthy treatment, he was transferred to the 33rd Separate Engineering Battalion of the Air Assault Forces of the AFU. As part of this unit, he went to the Zaporizhzhia sector.
Posthumously, he was awarded the Order "For Courage," 3rd Class.
"Danylo was the best person in the world, courageous, brave, and always able to find a positive side in any situation. Without fear of giving his life, he defended our country. Despite his young age, Danylo was a very wise person," said his friend Olha Bolotova.
The paratrooper was buried in his hometown.
He is survived by a loving family, friends, and brothers-in-arms.
At 9:00 AM — the national minute of silence. The Donetsk Regional Military Administration and the Heroes' Memorial platform honor the fallen defenders from Donetsk Oblast.