Soldier Oleg Bilonogiy, whose call signs were “Greek” and “Cross,” was killed on April 24, 2025, near the village of Novoyegorivka in the Luhansk region as a result of an attack by an enemy kamikaze drone. He was 50 years old.
Oleg was born on July 5, 1974, in the city of Ukrainsk, Pokrovsk District. He later lived in the village of Motyzhin, Kyiv Oblast. He devoted nearly 30 years to karate: he was a sensei, founded the “ONAMI” club, and represented Okinawan associations in Ukraine. He was also an expert for Ukrposhta’s E-Export School project, where he taught Ukrainians how to work with international marketplaces. For many years, he served as an altar boy at a church. He loved fishing, was an expert at catching predatory fish, and participated in competitions.
When full-scale war broke out, he volunteered to defend Ukraine. He served as a rifleman and assistant grenadier in an assault unit of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade. His comrades knew him by the nicknames “Greek” and “Cross.” He earned the first nickname because of his love for the Greek spiritual tradition and his dream of visiting Mount Athos, and the second for his deep faith and service to the church.
“My Olezhka, my Angel, and my soul. The world stopped for me after your death. I am grateful to you for the happy years of our life together, for the care I still feel today. You live on for me in every second of my life,” wrote his wife, Oksana.
Oleg was buried in the village of Motyzhin in the Kyiv region.
He is survived by his wife and two children.
At 9:00 a.m.—a nationwide minute of silence. The Donetsk Regional Military Administration and the “Memorial to Heroes” platform are honoring the fallen defenders from the Donetsk region.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)