Sergeant Oleksandr Plokhykh, nicknamed “Plokhy,” died on June 28, 2023, near the city of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast.
Together with his comrade, he eliminated an enemy assault group and captured two occupiers. During their evacuation, he came under artillery fire. The soldier was 45 years old.
Oleksandr was born in Mariupol. He graduated from school No. 48 and then a local construction college. He got married in 2007. Seven years later, the couple had a daughter, Myroslava. Oleksandr loved spending time with her and traveling. For him, his family was always the most valuable and precious thing he had.
“My husband loved to cook. He had a great sense of humor and was the life of the party. He always helped everyone and was a very open and sincere person,” said his wife Yevheniia.
Since 2016, the Plokhy family had been living in Poland. After the full-scale invasion began, Oleksandr returned and stood up to defend Ukraine. At first, he was in the territorial defense of Kyiv, and then he joined the Azov Special Operations Forces regiment, which in 2023 became the Third Separate Assault Brigade.
On March 25, 2022, as part of a group of 72 volunteers, Plokhy flew in a Mi-8 helicopter to his native Mariupol, which was already completely surrounded at that time. He personally killed 10 occupiers. At the same time, he was wounded: a sniper bullet hit him in the neck and passed through, miraculously without touching any vital organs.
The soldier was first treated at the hospital at the Azovstal Metallurgical Plant, and then evacuated by the last helicopter to territory controlled by Ukraine. The man underwent lengthy treatment, but eventually returned to his brigade.
On November 5, 2022, he and Yevheniia were married — after 16 years of marriage and a fourth injury.
His wife said that Oleksandr was a truly kind man who got along with everyone. In Mariupol, he loved the sea most of all. He often said to his family, friends, and comrades, “See you at the Sea of Azov.”
During his lifetime, Oleksandr Plokhykh was awarded the distinction of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine – the medal “Ukraine Above All” and the badge “For Contribution to the Defense of Kyiv.” Posthumously, the soldier was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine and the Order of the Golden Star.
“Plohoi” is, without exaggeration, one of the gods of this war. The most worthy. One of those for whom assault was the meaning of life. See you soon, my friend. I love you very much,“ said the commander of the Third Separate Assault Brigade, Dmytro Kukharchuk, nicknamed ”Slipp."
Oleksandr was buried in the Krasnopil Cemetery in Dnipro.
He is survived by his wife Yevheniia and daughter Myroslava.
At 9:00 a.m., there will be a nationwide minute of silence. The Donetsk Regional State Administration and the Heroes Memorial platform will commemorate the fallen defenders from Donetsk Oblast.